Yahoo Sports AM is our daily newsletter that keeps you up to date on all things sports. Sign up here to get it every weekday morning.
🏈 The College Football Playoff is set
(Yahoo Sports)
The 12-team College Football Playoff bracket was finalized on Sunday. Shockingly, not everyone is happy.
Advertisement
The controversy: Notre Dame was left out of the field in favor of Miami, who had been ranked behind them for every iteration of the CFP rankings prior to Sunday.
How did the Hurricanes leapfrog the Irish despite neither team playing a game? It came down to head-to-head.
With BYU losing in the Big 12 title game, there was no longer a buffer between Notre Dame and Miami, allowing the committee to prioritize the Hurricanes’ win over the Irish back in August.
What they’re saying: “There is no explanation that could possibly be given to explain the outcome,” Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua told Yahoo Sports. “Any rankings or show prior to this last one is an absolute joke and a waste of time.”
In an interesting wrinkle, as part of a memorandum of understanding signed by CFP officials last spring, Notre Dame will be assured of making the playoff if it is ranked in the top 12 starting next year, Bevacqua tells Yahoo Sports.
So if this year’s circumstances unfolded next year, the final at-large team (Miami) would have been automatically bumped from the field for No. 11 Notre Dame.
Looking ahead: Duke’s win in the ACC title game opened the door for both Tulane and James Madison to make the playoff, where they’ll be significant underdogs.
Fort Lauderdale, Florida — Inter Miami beat the Vancouver Whitecaps, 3-1, on Saturday to claim their first MLS championship and provide the signature moment of Lionel Messi’s brief but stunningly successful career in North America’s top league.
More hardware: After winning league MVP for the second straight year, Messi was named MVP of the MLS Cup. He had two assists in the final to give him 15 goal contributions in the playoffs (six goals, nine assists), the most ever in a single postseason.
Mark your calendars: The Americans open play in Group D against Paraguay in Los Angeles (June 12), then take on Australia in Seattle (June 19) before returning to Los Angeles for their final group stage matchup against either Turkey, Romania, Slovakia or Kosovo (June 25).
(Ian Maule/Getty Images)
Las Vegas — Petr Yan stunned Merab Dvalishvili on Saturday to reclaim the UFC bantamweight title with one of the most shocking upsets in recent memory, handing the Georgian his first loss since 2018 to snap the longest win streak in bantamweight history (13 in a row).
End of an era: UFC 323 marked the final pay-per-view event of the year, if not ever. The MMA promotion is moving from ESPN to Paramount+ beginning next year, with all major events included in the standard subscription rather than put behind an additional paywall.
💯 Big numbers
(Mario Renzi/Formula 1 via Getty Images)
🏎️ 423-421
Though Max Verstappen (Red Bull) won Sunday’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Lando Norris (McLaren) finished third to eke out his first F1 championship by the slimmest of margins, snapping Verstappen’s four-year title streak with a 423-421 advantage.
Advertisement
Close calls: Norris’ two-point victory was the closest since Lewis Hamilton won by a single point in 2008. Overall, in 76 seasons, there have been eight wins by one point and one win by a half-point (Niki Lauda over Alain Prost in 1984).
⚾️ 14 of 16 votes
Jeff Kent was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday by the 16-member Contemporary Era Committee. Candidates needed 12 votes for election, and the five-time All-Star second baseman received 14.
Who missed the cut? Carlos Delgado got the second-most votes with nine, followed by Don Mattingly and Dale Murphy with six. Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Gary Sheffield and Fernando Valenzuela all got fewer than five, which means they’ll be ineligible for the next Contemporary Era ballot in 2028.
Advertisement
🏀 28,303 points
James Harden (28,303 points) made history on Saturday when he passed Carmelo Anthony (28,289) for 10th place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list. LeBron James (first) and Kevin Durant (eighth) are the only active players ahead of him.
All-time rankings: Harden is second on the 3-point list (behind only Stephen Curry) and fifth on the free-throw list (Karl Malone, James, Moses Malone, Kobe Bryant). He’s also 13th on the assist list — and fourth on the turnover list.
(Illinois State Athletics)
🏈 +23.5
Illinois State pulled off a stunning upset over North Dakota State in the second round of the FCS playoffs on Saturday, scoring 15 points in the final three minutes to beat the top-ranked Bison, 29-28, as 23.5-point underdogs. Even that undersells the magnitude of this upset, though. North Dakota State, which came in with a 16-game win streak, hadn’t lost a home playoff game since 2016 and was so good this year that they received AP poll votes!
Advertisement
Last eight standing: The Redbirds were the only unseeded team to reach the quarterfinals, where they’ll play No. 8 UC Davis. The other matchups: No. 2 Montana State vs. No. 7 Stephen F. Austin, No. 3 Montana vs. No. 11 South Dakota and No. 4 Tarleton State vs. No. 12 Villanova.
🏀 81-58
No. 10 Iowa State stormed to an 81-58 victory over No. 1 Purdue on Saturday afternoon, overwhelming the previously undefeated Boilermakers in a way nobody does at Mackey Arena.
Historic blowout: The 23-point margin of victory matches the largest-ever home defeat in college basketball history by a top-ranked program. Not since Villanova beat UConn, 96-73, in 1995 has the AP poll’s No. 1 team suffered such a one-sided loss.
Advertisement
⚽️ 4 teams left
The men’s College Cup (Final Four) is set, with No. 15 NC State, No. 16 Furman, Washington and Saint Louis emerging from the 48-team field of an upset-laden tournament that saw five of the top six seeds lose before the third round.
Davids vs. Goliath: Saint Louis has won an NCAA men’s record 10 national championships, while NC State, Furman and Washington are all seeking their first.
📺 Watchlist: Monday, Dec. 8
(Kirby Lee/Getty Images)
🏈 Eagles at Chargers
Philly and Los Angeles square off tonight at SoFi Stadium (8:15pm ET, ABC/ESPN) in a matchup of 8-4 teams trending in different directions. The Eagles have lost two straight while the Chargers have won four of five.
Advertisement
Injury report: Chargers QB Justin Herbert is questionable after undergoing surgery on his non-throwing hand. If he can’t suit up, former No. 3 overall pick Trey Lance will get his first start for the Bolts.
⚽️ Women’s College Cup Final
Top-seeded Stanford and third-seeded Florida State meet tonight in Kansas City (7pm ESPNU) for an all-ACC national championship. The Cardinal are seeking their fourth title, while the Seminoles are seeking their fifth (and third in five years).
More to watch:
🏀 NBA: Suns at Timberwolves (7:30pm, Peacock) … Minnesota (15-8) has won five straight to pass Phoenix (13-10) for sixth in the West.
🏒 NHL: Lightning at Maple Leafs (7:30pm, NHL) … Tampa (16-10-2) has lost three straight but is still clinging to first place in the Atlantic.
The Jets last made the playoffs in 2011. (Chris Coduto/Getty Images)
The NFL’s two longest active playoff droughts were extended on Sunday when the Jets (15 straight seasons) and Falcons (8 straight) were officially eliminated.
Advertisement
Question: Which team has the third-longest active playoff drought (7 straight)?
Hint: They’ve never won a Super Bowl (but they’ve appeared in two).
Answer at the bottom.
🏈 Talking the talk, walking the walk
(Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
On Dec. 20, 2023, Indiana’s newly-hired football coach Curt Cignetti was asked how he planned to sell his vision to recruits.
Walking the walk: Since his arrival in Bloomington, Cignetti’s Hoosiers have authored one of the great turnarounds in college football history. They’ve gone 24-2, made back-to-back playoffs, and now they’re Big Ten champions for the first time since 1967 and the No. 1 team in the land.
We hope you enjoyed this edition of Yahoo Sports AM, our daily newsletter that keeps you up to date on all things sports. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox every weekday morning.
Commercial breaks are essentially coming to the World Cup in 2026. FIFA announced Sunday that each World Cup game will feature three-minute hydration breaks in the middle of every half. The measure was reportedly discussed at meetings featuring coaches and broadcasters following Friday’s World Cup draw, per Henry Bushnell of The Athletic.
FIFA said the new policy will be adopted to assist with player safety. There was concern about hydration and player safety after a number of Club World Cup games in the U.S. occurred in the middle of the day in high temperatures. FIFA already attempted to mitigate that in its World Cup 2026 planning, as many games in the U.S. will occur in domed stadiums or at night to lessen the heat factor for players.
Advertisement
The hydration breaks — which will occur at 22 minutes in each half — essentially break up games into four quarters. The clock will still run during hydration breaks, with three minutes being added to stoppage time at the end of each half.
The hydration breaks will occur no matter the weather conditions. This will ensure every single team and game faces equal conditions, per Inside FIFA.
“For every game, no matter where the games are played, no matter if there’s a roof, (or) temperature-wise, there will be a three-minute hydration break. It will be three minutes from whistle to whistle in both halves,” said Manolo Zubiria, Chief Tournament Officer, USA, for the FIFA World Cup 2026 in announcing the initiative at the World Broadcaster Meeting which was held in Washington DC.
The breaks conveniently also allow networks to schedule commercial breaks during games.
In addition to making sure players remain hydrated, the breaks will have other potentially major impacts on the game. Coaches will now be able to speak with players and adjust their strategies during halves, per The Athletic, allowing teams to alter tactics on the fly.
Advertisement
The 2026 World Cup will begin June 11, 2026, and continue through July 19, 2026. Games will be held in a number of cities throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico.
After all, if Mendoza could deliver a championship to one historically and legendarily moribund Midwestern football program, why couldn’t he do the same thing for another? (Don’t judge. Part of being a Browns fan is holding on to irrational hopes like this one.)
Advertisement
About 17 hours after Mendoza’s exuberance, Shedeur Sanders put the finishing touches on his finest outing yet as a pro: 364 yards passing, three touchdowns, including two late-fourth-quarter all-or-nothing drives. (Naturally, since this is the Browns we’re talking, all those gaudy stats came in a losing effort, but still.)
Let’s dispense with the past as quickly as possible. Watson — who has played just 19 games since the 2020 season, and none since October 2024 — returned to practice this week as he rehabs a ruptured Achilles.
Advertisement
The Browns insist that Watson’s veteran presence is useful for the rookies in the quarterback room, but the likely truth is far more mundane: Watson carries a dead-cap hit of $131 million if Cleveland releases him before June 1, and an $80 million hit whether he’s cut or on the roster next season, per Spotrac. That’s rough, given that both his on-field and trade values are pretty much nonexistent.
So you can see why Cleveland would want to invest its hopes, and its limited funds, in a young, inexpensive quarterback with high upside. And on Sunday, the Browns got a glimpse of what that could look like. Perhaps something like this:
Sanders’ Sunday comes with mountains of caveats. First of all, the Browns lost, and lost to the previously 1-11 Titans. Plus, Sanders was ineffective for long stretches of the second half, unable to move the chains, slow to react to the Titans’ pass rush, late to pick up on the secondary’s deceptions. He holds the football too long, patting it as he prepares to throw — a glowing signal to defenders that the ball is about to take flight.
But Sanders orchestrated two touchdown drives in the final five minutes of the game, a sign of growing maturity and presence. It’s not his fault the Browns called one of the dumbest plays of the season for a would-be tying 2-point conversion that, naturally, fell short.
Advertisement
Sanders will play out the rest of the season after Dillon Gabriel played the first half, with games still to come against Chicago, Buffalo, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati. At that point, Cleveland will make its assessments on what, if anything, it has in the quarterback room.
Which brings us to the 2026 NFL Draft. Cleveland has the luxury of two first-round picks, thanks to the deal last year that sent the pick that would become Travis Hunter to Jacksonville. After Sunday, Cleveland’s own pick is No. 4, per Tankathon. Naturally, Jacksonville decided to go and get good this year; its pick is currently the 27th.
A few months ago, this looked like a quarterback-heavy draft. You don’t hear much about names like Cade Klubnik and Garrett Nussmeier anymore, and Arch Manning isn’t getting anywhere near the draft if he knows what’s good for him. So now? Not so much.
Still, there are potential gems out there. Yahoo Sports’ most recent mock draft projects Mendoza to go No. 1 overall, with our Nate Tice praising his “high floor” and “underrated ceiling.” After Mendoza, Yahoo Sports projects Oregon QB Dante Moore at No. 2, South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers at No. 6 and Alabama’s Ty Simpson at No. 11. (This mock was created before Alabama’s ugly SEC championship loss.)
Advertisement
Mendoza might not be around by the time Cleveland picks, unless the 3-10 Browns can hurdle the 2-11 Raiders. But there ought to be quarterback talent still on the board when Cleveland makes its selection. Is that talent first-round, lead-a-team-for-a-decade level? Well, we can’t answer that one yet, can we?
You probably already know the legend of the Cleveland Browns quarterback jersey, the ongoing visual testament to the Browns’ quarterback futility. Starting with Tim Couch, the No. 1 overall pick in 1999, Cleveland has churned through more than 40 starting quarterbacks … with no end in sight.
Cleveland’s defense, led by the otherworldly Myles Garrett, is already postseason-level. Will the offense, and the quarterback position, step up its game? Or will the hauntings of Quarterbacks Past, Present and Future continue?
Welcome back to The Playlist — your weekly scan of the fantasy basketball landscape, where we break down the waiver adds who can keep your roster competitive in 9-cat and points leagues.
Week 8 comes with a twist: the NBA Cup. The Yahoo Fantasy Basketball default schedule doesn’t combine this week and next, which means your outcome will largely depend on how your schedule shakes out.
NBA Cup games take place Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday, with the championship next Tuesday.
The Kings, Pacers, Pelicans and Timberwolves are locked into three games.
The Heat, Knicks, Magic, Thunder, Suns and Raptors will play either two or three games, depending on the outcomes of the quarterfinal games on Tuesday and Wednesday night.
Spurs and Lakers will play one or two games, depending on whether they advance.
It’ll be tough to stream this week, but let’s get to the waiver adds.
🎧 Who’s in My Rotation: 9-cat and standard points leagues
Maxime Raynaud – C, Sacramento Kings (19% rostered)
Raynaud should be added in all 12-team or deeper formats — 9-cat or points — as one of the highest-upside stashes under 20% rostered. With Domantas Sabonis sidelined, Raynaud’s minutes have jumped, and Sacramento’s poor record all but guarantees the Kings will shop veterans (like Sabonis) once Dec. 15 rolls around. That clears a long runway for the rookie to emerge as a rest-of-season asset.
Advertisement
He provides rebounds, blocks and efficiency for 9-cat managers, and his overall counting stats will translate to points leagues.
TJ McConnell – PG, Indiana Pacers (15% rostered)
The Pacers play three games in Week 8, making him a strong streaming option. McConnell is efficient, providing a solid source of steals and assists while minimizing turnovers.
In points leagues, his contributions across categories provide a safe 21-30 fantasy-point floor any time he sees extra run. That’s bound to happen in Week 8, facing the Kings, Sixers and Wizards.
Jordan Walsh – SG/SF/PF, Boston Celtics (17% rostered)
Walsh is no longer just a deep-league watchlist guy. He ranks 54th over the past month and 40th over the last two weeks in 9-cat, thanks to his efficiency and stocks. With three-position eligibility, he’s a valuable piece to plug throughout your lineup.
Advertisement
The Celtics only play one game this week, but if you have space, I’d add him after averaging 14 points, 7 rebounds and almost 3 stocks in 28 minutes per game over his last five contests.
Jose Alvarado – PG, New Orleans Pelicans (10% rostered)
I’d add Jeremiah Fears (28%) as the priority in shallow leagues, but Alvarado is a player to consider if Fears isn’t available. Now, Alvarado is likely playing with borrowed time, but with the Pelicans having three games and Jordan Poole still not ready, I’d stream him on Monday and hold for later in the week if Poole remains out.
Advertisement
Over the past two weeks, Alvarado has averaged 1.6 steals per game while shooting an uncharacteristic 48% from the field. In a tricky schedule week due to the NBA Cup where the volume of games could be the difference between a win and a loss, bet on volume and sneak in another game of production.
Final tip for Week 8
Before picking up Week 7 streaming gems like Pat and Cam Spencer or Jaylen Wells, wait until mid-week to get a clearer picture of stars likes Ja Morant, Stephen Curry, Tyler Herro, Devin Booker and others returning from injury. Since a bulk of the games will come on Thursday, Friday and Sunday, there’s no need to pick up fringe guys who could eventually be dropped preemptively.
So press play and shuffle through the latest fantasy basketball info.
Fantasy basketball pickups and advice.
Week 8 in High Score is pure chaos — the NBA Cup has the schedule in flux, and depending on outcomes, teams could play anywhere from 1-3 games. Volume doesn’t matter as much in High Score, but you still want to maximize your efforts in locking in the highest score for your team.
Yes, we’re going back to McDaniels in consecutive weeks — and the Wolves’ Week 8 schedule makes it unavoidable. Minnesota is locked into three games, and McDaniels closed Week 7 with back-to-back 40+ fantasy points in High Score. As one of the best wing defenders in the league, the Wolves will lean on him for heavy minutes, offering more time for production.
Advertisement
He’s averaging two stocks per game over his last six contests and is posting the highest assist rate of his career. In a week where a couple of extra opportunities can matter, McDaniels is a must-add in High Score.
Grayson Allen – G/FC, Suns (32% rostered)
Allen returned in Week 7 after missing seven games, and while the performance wasn’t to the standard we’ve seen this season, the opportunity is there. Before the injury, he averaged 34 fantasy points per game in High Score. Allen is one of four players under 40% rostered who is in the top-100 overall in per-game production.
With Devin Booker still sidelined by a groin injury and the Suns potentially playing three games depending on NBA Cup results, Allen’s fantasy potential is worth exploring. A proven producer (this year) + a favorable schedule = a player you should add in Week 8.
Advertisement
Jeremiah Fears – G, Pelicans (28% rostered)
The Pelicans play three games in Week 8, and Fears has posted 32+ fantasy points in High Score in four of his last five outings. New Orleans is bad — straight up — but that actually helps Fears maintain a stable, high-usage role even when Jordan Poole returns. Fears scores, hits 3s, gets to the line and contributes enough steals to keep his floor sturdy.
In a week with volume scattered across the league, Fears is a viable option widely available in this format.
Anthony Black – G, Magic (29% rostered)
Black continues to trend up across all formats because of his play, but he is also making the most of his minutes. Franz Wagner (leg) and Jalen Suggs (groin) both left Sunday’s contest early and with Paolo Banchero still working his way back, Black held it down with 14 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists and 1 block in 30 minutes. He’s been averaging 16/5/4 with 1.6 steals per game over his past 10 outings. Keep him locked into your lineups because he’s not going anywhere.
Ryan Nembhard – G, Mavericks (26% rostered)
Dallas only plays one game this week, which keeps Nembhard last on the list — but make no mistake, he should still be rostered in High Score. Jason Kidd’s rotations have been unpredictable. However, the Mavs are 4-2 with Nembhard as the starting point guard and he initiates the offense far better than D’Angelo Russell and Brandon Williams. Nembhard will generate a ton of assists, which is key for High Score, so if you have room on your bench, stash him; it’ll pay off beyond Week 8.
The 2025 season marked Hall’s second stint with the Green Wave, first serving as the offensive coordinator in 2019-20 under former head coach Willie Fritz. Hall was also a former head coach at Southern Mississippi, West Georgia and West Alabama. Hall has a 70-50 record across the three schools.
Hall helped quarterback Jake Retzlaff have an efficient season in his first season at Tulane. Retzlaff, who transferred from BYU late this offseason, has thrown for 2,862 yards, 14 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. Hall also recruited and coached quarterback Michael Pratt during his first stint at Tulane, and Pratt is the program’s all-time leading passer with 9,602 yards.
Tulane is coming off a 34-21 victory over North Texas to clinch a spot in the College Football Playoff. It was the Green Wave’s second American Conference championship in program history and their fourth straight appearance in the conference championship game.
Advertisement
Despite this being Tulane’s first appearance in the College Football Playoffs, the Green Wave have been one of the most successful Group of Five teams in recent years; Tulane has won 43 games in the last four seasons. Sumrall has gone 20-7 overall and 14-2 in the American in two seasons with the team.
This will be Tulane’s second matchup with Ole Miss this season. In early September, Ole Miss beat Tulane 45-10. Quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, running back Kewan Lacy and wide receiver Deuce Alexander led the way for Ole Miss on offense. Retzlaff had his worst performance of the season against the Rebels, going 5-for-17 for 56 yards passing, adding 51 yards on the ground.
As the 2025-26 NBA season approaches the two-month mark, we should all be talking about how dominant the Oklahoma City Thunder have been sitting at 22-1. Or perhaps we should also be talking about how Denver Nuggets big Nikola Jokić appears poised to win a fourth MVP award. Or maybe bring up how this could be the end of an era with LeBron James potentially in his final season.
Nope. Giannis Antetokounmpo trade rumors are what’s on everybody’s mind right now. The Greek Freak could be sidelined for about a month due to a calf strain. The Bucks don’t appear to be a contender in the East (though it’s early). Milwaukee needs to weigh what’s best for the franchise and whether the team can compete before Giannis can hit free agency again in 2027. So Antetokounmpo is back in the mill and could be on the move at some point this season before the NBA trade deadline.
Advertisement
Whatever happens with Giannis will surely have a huge echo for fantasy basketball. If you haven’t stockpiled some Bucks exposure now, the only player who is above 60% rostered on Yahoo is Myles Turner. Everyone else on Milwaukee’s roster can be had in most shallow High Score leagues and are worth considering. Some contingent of Ryan Rollins, Kevin Porter Jr., Bobby Portis and Kyle Kuzma will have to carry the load while Giannis is out (and if he’s ultimately traded).
Anyway, with the Greek Freak sidelined, he’s not making an appearance in this week’s High Score perfect lineup (though he’s been in there a few times). Let’s take a look at the top-six scorers from this week.
The top-six performances overall by position from Week 7.
(Taylor Wilhelm)
More on the top performers
Luka Dončić, guard: Luka had missed the past two games this week due to personal reasons before returning on Sunday to make the list. He had a 31-15-11 triple-double to help the Lakers get back in the win column against the 76ers. This score likely swung a decent amount of matchups one way or the other on Sunday; had Dončić not played, his High Score for the week would have settled at 59 points. L.A. could have only one game this week (vs. the Spurs in the NBA Cup Quarterfinals), so you’ll need a good one from Dončić to pay off.
Cade Cunningham, guard: In a four-game week for the Pistons, Cade managed his best score last Monday. Everyone is still chasing his 101 points from early November that stands as the highest output of any player in a single game all season.
Alperen Şengün, frontcourt: The Rockets big man started the week off right with the top overall score but did very little else after that. Şengün missed a Friday-Saturday back-to-back due to an illness. The Rockets continue to run Şengün like a point-center (remind you of anyone?) and it’s paying off big in fantasy basketball. He finished with 31-14-8 with seven stocks. Şengün now has 11 games this season with multiple stocks, which will always elevate his floor/ceiling combo.
Nikola Jokić, frontcourt: Nikola Jokić. Part of me wants to just leave this paragraph with that, just the future Hall of Famer’s name. Jokić has made his way into the perfect lineup in five of seven weeks this season. But this score is special since it was the star’s first 20-rebound game of the season. It was also his NBA-leading 11th triple-double of the season.
Jalen Johnson, frontcourt: Johnson is also getting some Most Improved Player hype and will continue to be the guy in ATL so long as Trae Young is hurt. Young is set to be reevaluated at some point this month, so a return could be on the horizon. Whenever Young gets back, it’ll impact Johnson, but the Hawks may be wise to continue to run their offense through the forward. He turned in back-to-back triple-doubles on Friday-Saturday, the first score helping him land in this lineup. That line read 21-18-16 with a pair of steals.
Advertisement
Jamal Murray, UTIL: This is Murray’s first appearance of the season on the perfect lineup. With the Pacers already staring down the lottery, Murray took advantage, going off for a season-high 52 points, three points shy of his career high he set last season. The veteran guard turned in one of the best scoring performances in NBA history, shooting 19-25 from the field while going a near-perfect 10-11 from downtown. Unfortunately, we likely won’t see Murray hit this number often in High Score given his lack of peripheral stats. His only path to gaudy fantasy point totals is scoring volume and while Murray is capable, he just isn’t going to shoot like this every game. In fact, he may never do something like this ever again. Cherish these moments.
Austin Reaves, UTIL: The Lakers swingman will have a good case for Most Improved Player for 2025-26 and has kept up his numbers despite Luka Dončić and LeBron James being in and out of the lineup. With Luka sidelined due to personal reasons last week, Reaves took advantage of the extra usage by dropping 44 points with 10 assists and 5 boards against Toronto. With Dončić and James missing games pretty consistently, Reaves should continue to be a top High Score asset. All it takes is one game with Dončić sidelined and we see the type of ceiling Reaves can provide.
Advertisement
Karl-Anthony Towns, UTIL: KAT was held out Sunday vs. the Magic due to a calf injury. Hopefully he can get back on the court Tuesday vs. the Raptors, the Knicks lone game this week depending on how they do in the NBA Cup. Last week, Towns was one of four players to post 69 as a High Score and make it onto this list. It was a smash spot against the Hornets with the big man scoring 35 points with 18 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals.
It doesn’t take long for Zach Edey to make his presence felt.
On the opening basket of Sunday’s game between the Memphis Grizzlies and Portland Trail Blazers, rookie wing Cedric Coward is able to eek out a late-clock bucket against Sidy Cissoko after a well-timed pump fake. What stands out to me is what happens before it:
Advertisement
Edey and Jaylen Wells (looking good lately) flow into a ball screen that the Blazers work to force down the sideline. Edey’s dive naturally occupies the attention of Toumani Camara, who technically has low-man responsibilities. Edey doesn’t get the ball, but that doesn’t stop the work. He seals rookie (and Summer League legend) Yang Hansen, then retreats once he recognizes a drive is happening.
As he backs out of the paint, Camara gets two hands on Edey — in part to make sure Edey feels him, but I’m sure a part of him wanted to take whatever chance a lob was available off the table. As that’s happening, Yang is already working his tail off to box out Edey. A noble act on its face — do your work early, rook! — but a poorly timed one in practice. Because Yang was preoccupied with Edey, Coward’s able to get an uncontested layup after his pump fake.
This is where the fun really begins.
A little later, Jaren Jackson Jr. is dealing with full-court pressure from Jerami Grant; that high activity remains a staple for the pesky-but-injured Blazers. As Jackson drives and gathers, Grant’s able to strip the ball away, though Jackson is able to recover. Searching for an option, he quickly wraps a pass around to Edey — quietly in position after slow-rolling from the free-throw line to the restricted area during Jackson’s drive.
Two points, too easy.
Not to be outdone, Grant brings the ball up the left side of the floor on the next trip. He receives a screen from Yang, hoping to attack the space given by Edey’s drop. It doesn’t work; Grant snakes to his right, attempts to power through Edey on his gather — and maybe draw a foul in the process — but ultimately tosses up a righty push shot that misses everything.
Thirty seconds later, Edey takes Yang to Seal City. What should happen on the possession is a high ball screen between Coward and Jackson, with potential interplay between Jackson and Edey — maybe another 4-5 ball screen they’ve been sprinkling in? — following shortly after. Instead, Camara gets handsy with Jackson to prevent a screen from happening.
Advertisement
No matter; Edey gives Grant a little tap before darting down the middle of the floor, setting up shop at the dotted line and pinning Yang behind him in the process. The ball finds Jackson, who immediately hits Edey. You know what’s coming: one dribble, dislodge, turn, bucket.
Yang wants his get-back on the next trip. He inbounds the ball, then flies down court for a trail 3, but he misses. Edey takes advantage by doing what every big should: jet back down the middle of the floor and seal like your life depends on it. Yang doesn’t deal well with the blow and is so preoccupied with Edey that he isn’t really prepared for the Jackson drive coming right at him. The second Yang steps up, Jackson lobs a slightly off pass for Edey.
Catch, load up, bucket.
The Blazers alter their approach on the next trip, this time opting for an early post-up for Grant against Vince Williams Jr. Grant works quickly, spinning to his left … only to see Edey meeting him at the rim. Grant tries to wrap a pass around Edey, but a turnover ensues.
Advertisement
Edey darts down the middle of the floor, again. He seals Yang, again. As he goes to work on Yang, Cissoko opts to provide some help for the rook. The second he does, Coward fills that space with a cut, and Edey hits him.
Bucket. Timeout, Blazers.
When I say it didn’t take long for Edey to make his presence felt, it’s true in a literal sense. All of that happened within the first two minutes, 36 seconds of the game. Edey would eventually finish with another double-double — 12 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists in roughly 22 minutes — in another Grizzlies win.
In a broader sense, it hasn’t taken long for Edey to change life for the Grizzlies.
Advertisement
Edey’s enormous impact
Since making his season debut on Nov. 15, Edey’s averaging 13.6 points (65.6% on 2s, 78.1% from the line), 11.1 rebounds (3.9 offensive) and 1.9 blocks. Zooming out a bit, the Grizzlies have performed like a top-10 team in basketball since that date: a 7-4 record while ranking 15th in offense (115 offensive rating), 2nd in defense (109 defensive rating) and 6th in net rating (+6.0), per Cleaning The Glass. After a tumultuous start, they’re firmly in a play-in spot with plenty of room and time to move upward.
Looking at just the Edey minutes, they’ve been even more dominant: the offense has been a smidge better (115.1), but the defense has been stingier than the Thunder’s (95.1). There are four players who have logged at least 200 minutes whose teams are at least 20 points per 100 possessions better with them on the court: Pascal Siakam (+20.4), Aaron Gordon (+20.5, get well soon), Giannis Antetokounmpo (+20.6, get well soon), and Edey (+29.6).
Now, I’m obviously not here to argue that Edey is legitimately the most impactful player in basketball. I will say it’s pretty easy to see why he matters so much. Thanks to his intersection of abnormal size and skill, there’s a level of interior gravity that he brings to the table.
Advertisement
He flat out isn’t a good screener right now, an annoying carryover from last season, and it hasn’t really mattered because of how much mass defenders have to navigate anyway. Because of where the Grizzlies often deploy him as a screener — among 39 players to set at least 300 on-ball screens, only nine players have a lower average screen distance than Edey (25.2 feet from the basket) — he’s able to threaten the paint earlier.
That opens up early pocket passes, lob chances or, as you saw above, opportunities for Edey to turn his rolls into seals. In addition to his own post scoring, he’s also been more intentional about turning those seals into driving lanes for his opponents. Marcin Gortat would be … well, more proud than last year.
If you aren’t able to get a body or bodies on him, he’ll cause havoc in some form. There are the aforementioned scoring opportunities within the flow of a possession, but there’s also the offensive rebounding. He’s fifth in the league (min. 10 games) in offensive rebounds per game. But even when he isn’t grabbing them, the attention he draws can leave room for his teammates to swoop in.
Advertisement
You really feel Edey’s size, and some subtle mobility improvements, on the defensive end. To the boring part: The Grizzlies do a much better job of ending possessions when Edey’s on the floor. They rebound a whooping 80.3% of opponent misses in Edey’s minutes; that drops to 72% with Edey on the bench.
What’s impressed me the most since his return is the level of do-your-job consistency he’s reached. The Grizzlies most often deploy him in drop coverage — it makes sense to keep that much size near the rim, where he’s been solid — but he’s a more active participant in those reps. He’s using his arms more to take up space; he’s tossing in more swipes and lunges while he backpedals, aimed to disrupt the rhythm of ball-handlers while giving his screen navigators more time to recover.
Wells, Williams, and even Coward deserve a ton of credit for the work they’ve done on and off the ball. In addition to their navigation chops, they are incredibly active helpers — they shrink gaps and get their paws on plenty of kick-out passes. Per Genius Sports tracking data, the Grizzlies have help defenders present on over 77% of the drives they face, a top-five mark in the league. With Edey on the floor, that rises to 81.4% — a mark that would edge out the Warriors (81%) for the highest in the league.
Advertisement
That context is necessary when parsing out some of Edey’s data. For example, the Grizzlies are allowing 0.89 points per possession on trips featuring a pick-and-roll defended by Edey. That’s 13th among 62 players to defend at least 200 — above names like Bam Adebayo, Rudy Gobert, Isaiah Hartenstein, Draymond Green, Jackson, and Chet Holmgren. I think it’s fair to say he isn’t that, at least not yet for the optimists. The Grizzlies deserve credit for creating this infrastructure, and Edey deserves credit for doing his job — and unlocking some of the aggression in front of him because of the size security he provides — within the infrastructure.
There’s still room for growth with Edey. Offensively, he just has to become a more dutiful screener to grease the wheels for some of Memphis’ well-schemed off-ball concepts. There’s another leap or two of passing growth for him, especially with the attention he can draw on some of his deep catches.
Advertisement
Defensively, you’d like to see him continue to take strides on the perimeter. The Grizzlies don’t switch him out as often as last season, but he’s still tasked with navigating late switches when ball-handlers string things out. Some of his load-ups on rim contests are a hair late; any growth in that area could lead to him leveling up even more as an interior defender.
But that’s what makes this all so encouraging. There are things to point to and he’s still impacting winning to this degree. At worst, he’s a very useful floor raiser on both ends that’ll swing the possession battle in your favor. At his best, he just wrecks people, man. I’m excited to keep watching to see just how high his ceiling is.
We’ve got a new No. 1 men’s basketball team in the country this week after the previous one completely fell apart this past weekend.
Here’s everything you missed in the fifth week of the regular season, and the latest Associated Press poll.
Advertisement
Iowa State launches into top 5 after stunning Purdue
It was only a matter of time before Purdue finally dropped a game. After all, it’s been decades since we’ve had an undefeated national champion. But the Boilermakers’ first loss of the season was a historic one, and it vaulted Iowa State into the top tier of teams in the country.
The Cyclones erupted in the second half on Saturday to pick up an 81-58 road win over Purdue. The 23-point loss at Mackey Arena was the largest nonconference home loss by a top-ranked team in the AP poll’s history, and matched the largest home loss ever by a No. 1 team. In fact, the last time Purdue lost at home by such a big margin was back in 2013.
That loss knocked Purdue down five spots to No. 6 in this week’s poll. That paved the way for Arizona to take over the No. 1 spot. The Wildcats picked up a 29-point win over then-No. 20 Auburn on Saturday in what was their fourth ranked win of the season. Michigan remained undefeated, too, with a 41-point rout over Rutgers, and moved up a spot to No. 2.
Advertisement
Duke, thanks to 16 second-half points from Cameron Boozer, handed Michigan State its first loss of the season on Saturday. The Blue Devils also climbed up to No. 3.
Iowa State, meanwhile, launched into the top five after Saturday’s win, which got it to 9-0. They came in at No. 4, one spot above UConn. The Cyclones now have several quality wins already this season, including over St. John’s and Creighton before steamrolling Purdue, and they came in at No. 2 in Ken Pomeroy’s rankings behind only Michigan.
The Cyclones have already positioned themselves, not only in line with Arizona and Houston in the Big 12, but as a legitimate title contender nationally. While the Cyclones have yet to make it past the Sweet 16 in the TJ Otzelberger era, this group in Ames looks like it’ll be in a great position in a few months time.
Kentucky falls out of poll
It’s a concerning time in Lexington.
Advertisement
Mark Pope and the Wildcats are coming off their worst week of the season so far, which they capped with a blowout 35-point loss to Gonzaga in which they were repeatedly booed off the court by their own fans in Nashville. The Bulldogs led the entire way after opening Friday night’s game on a 19-2 run. Kentucky shot less than 27% from the field as a group and missed their first 10 shots of the night.
“All the boos that we heard tonight were incredibly well-deserved, mostly for me, and we have to fix it,” Pope said, via Fox Sports. “We’ve kind of diminished a little bit into a bad spot right now that we have to dig ourselves out of it, and it’s going to be an internal group thing, and we feel the responsibility we have to this university and this fan base.”
That loss came after Kentucky fell to North Carolina in the ACC-SEC Challenge earlier in the week. Gonzaga, now 9-1, climbed up to No. 8 in this week’s poll. North Carolina, which also beat Georgetown by 20 points on Sunday, is at No. 14.
All four of Kentucky’s losses have come against ranked opponents. The Wildcats tumbled out of the poll completely this week after being ranked 18th last week. While they have a chance to rebound with two more ranked opponents before SEC play kicks off — they’ve got Indiana and Saint John’s waiting later this month — the Wildcats have yet to pick up a quality win this season. For a team that started inside the top 10, and is now completely unranked, that’s not a good spot to be just six weeks into the season.