The second year pf the new format of the UEFA Champions League, brought plenty of chaos on the final day of the league phase as 18 matches kicked off at the same time. Storylines can get muddled along the way during a jam-packed period of action but one stood out above the rest, fully embodying the drama of the day.
Real Madrid started the day well-positioned to finish in the top eight and book a direct spot in the round of 16, a favorable match against a Benfica team who were poised for elimination awaiting them. The script fully flipped, though — Benfica came out with an improbable 4-2 win, rounded out by a red card for Real Madrid’s Raul Asencio and the final goal of the game coming from shot-stopper Anatoliy Trubin. Benfica, coached by ex-Madrid boss Jose Mourinho, snuck their way into the knockout phase playoffs while Los Blancos were doomed to play another two games in the hopes of booking a spot in the last 16.
It makes for an unusual but perfect set-up for a rematch three weeks later, a painful reward for Benfica despite their hard work and a golden opportunity for Real Madrid to fully put that Matchday 8 defeat behind them.
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“They are wounded,” Mourinho said in his pre-match remarks on Monday, “and a wounded king is dangerous. We will play the first leg with our heads, with ambition and confidence. We know what we did to the kings of the Champions League … Real Madrid is Real Madrid, with history, knowledge, ambition. The only comparable thing is that we are two giants. Beyond that, there is nothing else. But football has this power and we can win.”
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The circumstances could see Mourinho change his approach from the teams’ last meeting, too. Benfica were more forward-thinking than usual in their win over Los Blancos, in large part because they simply needed to score to even have a shot at advancing, but the calculus is usually different over a two-legged tie. A team can attempt to grind the opponent down in an attempt to lock their attack out, something Mourinho teams have done time and time again. Benfica’s attack-focused approach on Matchday 8 was atypical to their Champions League experiences since Mourinho took over after a Matchday 1 loss to Qarabag – they performed well above their average of 14.1 shots per game and 1.5 expected goals, instead taking 22 shots and generating 3.01 expected goals. Even with the 3-2 defeat to Qarabag factored in, Benfica are a solid defensive side – they have conceded just 10.1 nonpenalty expected goals against in eight games.
The question, then, is if this imperfect version of Real Madrid can find a way to break through a tough defense. Even in a season full of ups and downs, it feels hard to bet against the Spanish giants. They rank inside the Champions League’s top five for goals with 21 and expected goals with 18.99, their sheer ability to score papering over a handful of cracks. That is especially true since Xabi Alonso’s January ouster as the coach, his mission to build a more balanced Real Madrid abandoned despite the progress he made. Since Alvaro Arbeloa took charge, Los Blancos have fully switched to a strategy in which Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior share the field at the same time, kicking the can down the road on the longstanding question about the pair’s compatibility.
Both in Spain and in Europe, Real Madrid’s inherent attacking might is enough to survive their own inconsistencies and notch enough wins to keep them in the conversation for silverware. Mbappe himself is on pace for a career-best season with 39 goals across all competitions so far, while Vinicius has delivered since Arbeloa took charge with four goals and two assists in his last seven matches. Individually, the pair are a cheat code as Los Blancos continue to sort through their issues and will be enough of a challenge for Benfica’s defense over the next week and change.
The team, though, has received a boost in the return of Trent Alexander-Arnold, who notched his first start since December in Real Madrid’s 4-1 win over Real Sociedad on Saturday. He will provide some attacking balance for a team that is at times overly reliant on Mbappe, already providing a preview of what’s to come with an assist over the weekend. The England international is a uniquely creative player as a right back, though his range of passing and positional awareness means he can kickstart an attack from just about every area of the pitch.
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For all their flaws, Real Madrid have a perfect opportunity to put a sizable loss behind them, even if they are still unwilling to answer the big problems that plague their squad – and their pursuit of trophies, for that matter.
Former welterweight champion Usman (21-4 MMA, 16-3 UFC) stepped in on short notice to face Chimaev in a middleweight bout at UFC 294. He rallied after a rough first round, but ended up losing a majority decision.
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Usman has since rebounded with a dominant decision win over Joaquin Buckley, and has a two-fight plan to ride out out his career. First stop is reclaiming his welterweight title by challenging Islam Makhachev (28-1 MMA, 17-1 UFC), then getting his rematch against middleweight champ Chimaev (15-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC).
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“Islam is a phenomenal guy, phenomenal champion, what he’s been able to do,” Usman said in an interview with Eurosport NL. “Styles make fights, and I think I’m the most difficult style for him right now. I think I’m the best test for him. Islam is extremely talented. That last fight, he made it look easy because the former champion, there was a deficit in the game and that happens to be where I am strong, as well. So I think that’s a tremendous matchup. I love Islam, but I think I get that title.
“If I get that title, a lot of people wanted to see that rematch with Khamzat with a full camp. It was too short and I’ve been accustomed to fighting five-round fights. If I was able to get that opportunity again and to actually prepare for a big, strong Khamzat – because Khamzat is extremely talented. He’s done everything that was asked of him to do. He’s a good champion, and I think given that opportunity again, I approach that fight a little different.”
In an ideal world, Usman wants to ride off into the sunset by the end of next year.
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“2026, we want to say ‘Wow, I can’t believe you actually pulled that off and went and not only took one title, but you took two, and you walked away,’” Usman said. “Fingers crossed. Of course, welterweight first because I don’t think the other one happens without the welterweight one. I’m in this division, I’m still there, so why not take that one first?”
Dec 1, 2024; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Mac Jones (10) runs with the ball against the SHouston Texans in the fourth quarter at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
The Minnesota Vikings have a nearly full arsenal of draft picks to trade for a quarterback this offseason — if they’re in the mood. And this week, ESPN’s Bill Barnwell made no secret about the top trade option for the purple team, suggesting Minnesota should target Mac Jones from the San Francisco 49ers.
The Vikings can explore a Mac Jones trade, but ESPN’s idea hinges on price and the team’s faith in J.J. McCarthy.
Trades can be agreed upon at any time right now on the NFL calendar. If Minnesota plans to fire off a trade, there’s no need to wait.
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ESPN’s Mac Jones Idea for Vikings Comes Down to Cost
Your Mac Jones takes have been vindicated by Barnwell.
Mac Jones loosens up on October 19, 2025, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, taking warmup reps during the fourth quarter as the 49ers host the Falcons, helmet on and arm live while staying ready along the sideline in a late-game NFC matchup. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images.
Barnwell: Jones to MIN Beneifts SF and MIN
Barnwell sized up 11 hypothetical quarterback trades on Monday, and Jones to Minnesota turned heads.
He wrote, “Vikings get: QB Mac Jones, 2027 third-round pick. 49ers get: 2026 second-round pick, 2027 fifth-round pick (conditional), 2028 third-round pick (conditional). In this deal, the 49ers get a second-rounder for a future third-rounder. There are also two conditional picks, which should help protect them if Jones blossoms in Minnesota.”
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“The 2027 conditional pick would trigger based on Jones’ playing time with the Vikings. If he starts four games in 2026, the Vikings send a fifth-round pick out west. If Jones starts 12 games, that gets upped to a third-rounder.”
Jones has recently stated that he loves the 49ers as an organization but also wants to start in the NFL, which probably won’t happen behind Brock Purdy.
“And then, if Jones re-signs with the Vikings after the 2026 season and starts at least one game for the Vikings in 2027, the 49ers would land another third-round pick. If Jones spends just 2025 backing up McCarthy, the 49ers swap only the Day 2 picks,” Barnwell continued.
“If Jones emerges as the long-term starter in Minnesota, though, the Vikings could send a second-rounder and two third-round picks to the 49ers — a price that Kevin O’Connell would surely be happy to pay for an upgrade at quarterback.”
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With a fan base buzzing for answers at quarterback this offseason, Barnwell’s theory lit a match.
Finding the Next Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield
Jones’s popularity will soar through the roof this offseason. Why? Well, Sam Darnold just helped the Seattle Seahawks win a Super Bowl, while Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield has shown in three consecutive seasons that he’s a consistent QB1 after being left for dead by the Carolina Panthers in 2022.
General managers and coaches will now scour the NFL for the “next Sam Darnold,” and there’s no better candidate than Jones, though Malik Willis, a free agent to be, may disagree.
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Jones started eight games for the 49ers in 2025 when Purdy battled an injury, and when extrapolating that sample to 17 games, Jones provided 4,570 passing yards, 28 passing TDs, 13 INTs, and 69.6% completion rate. Yes, those are Darnoldian numbers.
NFL decision-makers will convince themselves — if they haven’t already — that Jones needs to be rescued from his QB2 post, empowered by a new offensive staff, and unlocked as a sure-fire starter. Barnwell thinks the Vikings are the best spot for it.
Competition for J.J. McCarthy
McCarthy played great in about four games last season, all down the stretch, when the game apparently made more sense to him. But in his first starts, he battled injury and poor performance.
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Barnwell noted on McCarthy, “The Vikings can’t afford to leave J.J. McCarthy an uncontested path to their starting quarterback job again in 2026. He was a disaster for most of the season, and though he put together a better stretch to end 2025, that four-game run came against the Commanders (who were 30th in EPA per play against pass dropbacks), Cowboys (31st), Giants (17th, in a game where McCarthy threw 14 passes) and Packers (21st, McCarthy was facing second- and third-stringers for most of the game).”
“It’s reasonable to say that McCarthy deserves more time, having started just 10 games during two seasons as a pro. Even if you’re making that argument, though, the Vikings need real competition for him in camp. They also need a backup who can step in to play, given that McCarthy has missed 24 games over his first two years because of knee, concussion, hand and ankle injuries.”
Mac Jones goes through pregame routines on November 2, 2025, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, throwing and stretching before the 49ers face the Giants, working methodically as teammates filter onto the field ahead of the afternoon kickoff. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images.
O’Connell may need an extra quarterback next to McCarthy in 2026 to ensure his team doesn’t succumb to irrelevance if McCarthy gets hurt or plays poorly. Jones would arrive in Minnesota this spring or summer and immediately battle for the QB1 job.
In that scenario, it would be a “may the best man win” situation.
A Rather Expensive Trade
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Under the hood, Barnwell’s trade is quite spendy. If Jones met all the conditions, the Vikings would be on the hook for a 2nd-Rounder, 3rd-Rounder, and another 3rd-Rounder.
And it would make sense for Jones to be that expensive. San Francisco’s general manager, John Lynch, and head coach, Kyle Shanahan, have stated this offseason that they have no plans to trade Jones unless the offer blows them away.
Kevin O’Connell addresses reporters on October 13, 2025, at Vikings headquarters in Eagan, outlining injury updates and post-bye plans while detailing recovery timelines and the preparation focus for Minnesota’s upcoming stretch of games. Mandatory Credit: YouTube.
A 2nd-Round pick and two 3rd-Rounders would most defintely blow anyone away, especially for a quarterback who has never sustained long-term success.
One thing to remember about club fitting is that there are no hard and fast rules and choosing the right wedge grind is the perfect example.
On this week’s episode of GOLF’s Fully Equipped, co-hosts Johnny Wunder and Jake Morrow talked about why focusing on the bounce number doesn’t really give you a good picture of what a wedge will do for you.
Morrow brought up a great example from his own testing on tight lies with low-bounce wedges.
“I was hitting the Opus T, and I was on the very left side of a two-weeks-without-rain ECPC range, which is the tightest lie they have,” Morrow explained. “And with the T grind, which they say on paper and in the forums and everything, that should be the one that works, right? Because it’s super tight. You’re going to be able to nip it, but whatever.
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“Well, the problem is for me as a steeper player, it just turns into a knife and then it doesn’t come out of the ground. That’s the issue.
“And so I go, and I start hitting these like 20-yard pitches with the 12-degree X grind, which is probably the highest they have and I feel like an absolute god.”
More often than not, the stated bounce on a wedge bounce isn’t actually what the bounce of the sole is.
Titleist Vokey Design’s new SM11 wedges feature a new precise CG position across each grind in a loft, meaning every wedge will now perform the same way with the same strike.
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“I’m almost at the point where I wish the bounce number would just be eliminated from wedges,” Morrow said. “Like I just want to put the shape of the sole, whatever the grind is from each manufacturer on the bottom of them. And the blind test that Vokey does is probably the best way to do it.”
There are so many different grind options from each manufacturer nowadays, and players hit shots in very different ways, so it’s important to find which wedges work for your specific delivery conditions, rather than catering to the course conditions.
The LoLdle answers for February 17, 2026, are now unveiled. As in earlier iterations, deciphering the champions’ names in the title’s 1321st one can be a hassle. Nonetheless, if players have in-depth knowledge of several aspects of these LoL characters, solving the enigmas becomes more efficient.
Here is the Quote puzzle in the 1321st edition of LoLdle:
“Feel the thunder.”
Darius, Jayce, and other League of Legends LoLdle answers for the 1321st edition (February 17, 2026)
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The League of Legends LoLdle answers for February 17 are shown below:
Classic: Darius
Quote: Jayce
Ability: Cho’Gath; Bonus: R (Feast)
Emoji: Millo
SplashArt: Yone; Bonus: High Noon Yone
The Classic answer of February 17 LoLdle is Darius. The clue for Quote points to Jayce, a champion who falls amongst some of the best choices in the top lane role meta in League of Legends.
The Ability puzzle has Cho’Gath’s R ability, “Feast.” The Emojis show Millo, and it is Yone’s High Noon skin in the Splash Art enigma.
Over the past few months, Wilder has been linked to a showdown with Usyk, who along with the WBC title, also holds the WBA and IBF belts.
Wilder was once the long-term WBC champion, making 10 defences of the strap between 2015 and 2020, and had regularly stated his desire to reclaim his crown again.
Usyk is expected to return over the next few months, and has been linked to make that voluntary defence against the likes of Andy Ruiz or Rico Verhoeven, but may have to turn his attention after that to Kabayel rather than Wilder.
Usyk could choose to vacate his WBC belt if he decides a fight against Wilder is more lucrative than a clash against Kabayel, but ‘The Bronze Bomber’ must first beat Chisora, then potentially face the Ukrainian for the WBA and IBF belts, with the chance to become WBC champion again now seemingly gone.
Switzerland’s Loïc Meillard led a commanding display in men’s alpine skiing at the Milan–Cortina Winter Olympics on Monday, securing a fourth Swiss victory in five events. China’s freestyle skiing star Eileen Gu claimed silver in the big air, and Japan celebrated a historic pairs figure skating triumph.
Oct 20, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) signs autographs before the game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images.
The Miami Dolphins began a roster and salary cap purge on Monday, preparing for free agency in three weeks. Accordingly, one man could hit the Minnesota Vikings’ free-agent radar: wide receiver Tyreek Hill.
Hill isn’t a clean fit, but Vikings chatter grows when Miami’s cap cut and Hill’s availability start intersecting for a WR3-needy team.
The eight-time Pro Bowler is still recovering from a gruesome leg injury, with an unclear timetable to return. But if the Vikings don’t re-sign Jalen Nailor next month, they’ll need a WR3, and Hill isn’t the worst idea.
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If the Vikings Need a WR3, Why Not Hill?
The Dolphins kicked the offseason into overdrive.
Tyreek Hill works through pregame drills on September 29, 2025, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, accelerating through routes and catching passes before the Dolphins face the Jets, sharpening timing and footwork as teammates stretch across the field ahead of kickoff. Mandatory Credit: Rich Storry-Imagn Images.
Hill Dropped by MIA
The Hill era in Miami ends after four seasons.
NFL.com’s Bobby Kownack wrote Monday, “The Dolphins celebrated Presidents’ Day with a flurry of moves. Miami is releasing wide receiver Tyreek Hill, NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero reported, per sources. Hill, an eight-time Pro Bowler and five-time All-Pro, is currently rehabbing from a major leg injury suffered during the 2025 season and it is unclear when or if he’ll play in 2026, per Pelissero, who added Hill would’ve had $11 million of his contract become fully guaranteed this month.”
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“Prior to the Hill news, Pelissero reported the Dolphins were releasing pass rusher Bradley Chubb, guard James Daniels and wideout Nick Westbrook-Ikhine. The four cuts together clear over $56 million in 2026 cap space as head coach Jeff Hafley and general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan begin to completely remake the roster.”
Hill can actually sign anywhere in the NFL right now. He doesn’t have to wait until the free-agency window formally opens. A team can scoop him after dinner if it’s in the mood.
The Career Resume
Hill played four games in 2025 before dislocating his left knee and suffering multiple torn ligaments, including his ACL. The injury was horrendous; there’s no sugarcoating it.
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In those four games, Hil tabulated 66.3 yards per game, translating to 1,127 yards in a 17-game season. He may not be the utterly electric speedster from eight years ago, but the guy can still fly, and he was on pace for a fancy season in Miami by most WR standards.
The rest of his resume speaks for itself. He’s totaled 11,363 in 10 seasons, along with 83 yards, and was known as the fastest player in the NFL for years. Hill is a playmaker personified — aptly nicknamed Cheetah — and will have something to prove next season in 2027.
His contract, too, should be semi-affordable, as he hopes to prove he still has the juice. A slightly diminished Hill next to Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison could be the thing of dreams.
Vikings Fandom as a Kid
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Hill has been clear about this for years. He didn’t just casually mention Minnesota once — he’s openly said he grew up a Vikings fan.
Back in the summer of 2023, he said, “Growing up a kid, I was a Minnesota Vikings fan. I love the Vikes, man.”
That comment lit up Vikings circles immediately, even though he wasn’t remotely available at the time. He’s also publicly called Adrian Peterson the greatest running back ever, which tracks with a kid raised on purple and gold highlights.
Tyreek Hill stands along the sideline on August 23, 2025, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, observing first-quarter action against the Jaguars with helmet in hand as the Dolphins offense settles into rhythm during preseason play. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images.
Bottom line: if Hill ever had the option to land in Minnesota late in his career, there wouldn’t be resistance. The connection is pretty real.
Other Landing Spots
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The Kansas City Chiefs, somewhat obviously, dominated “where will Tyreek Hill land?” chatter on Monday. He worked for the Chiefs from 2016 to 2021.
CBS Sports‘Garrett Podell opined, “This is the obvious one. The Chiefs have salary cap work to do to become compliant before the new league year begins March 11, but a reunion makes sense. Since trading Hill in 2022, Kansas City hasn’t had a true No. 1 wide receiver alongside future Hall of Fame tight end Travis Kelce.”
“Hill accounted for just over 25% of Kansas City’s receiving yards in his final two seasons there (2020–21). Since his departure, Kelce leads the team at 22.7%, with wide receiver Rashee Rice second at just 10.2%. Hill and quarterback Patrick Mahomes would also be returning from ACL injuries suffered in 2025, potentially putting their timelines in sync. Hill tweeted about his intrigue regarding offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy’s return to Kansas City.”
Tyreek Hill carries the football on December 22, 2024, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens during pregame warmups before the Dolphins take on the 49ers, sprinting across the turf as he prepares for another high-profile matchup. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images.
SI.com‘sMike Kadlick mentioned the Buffalo Bills as a fit: “Josh Allen has been longing for a No. 1 wide receiver since the Bills decided to trade Stefon Diggs to the Texans several years ago, and unfortunately, the likes of Keon Coleman and Khalil Shakir aren’t cutting it.”
“It would make sense for Buffalo to more into their offensive weaponry this offseason after transitioning from Sean McDermott to Joe Brady as head coach, and while Hill may no longer be the dynamic playmaker he once was, his speed is undeniable—and could help Allen and his rocket arm fully unlock a dynamic offense for the Bills.”
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It’s also worth noting that Hill has had some disturbing off-field legal baggage over the years, and those concerns prevented Vikings fans from endorsing the would-be signing with a collective voice. Many said “no thanks” on Facebook and X.
Whether Hill is ready for Week 1 of 2026 also remains a mystery.
Feb 3, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren (0) battles for position on a foul shot with Denver Nuggets center Jonas Valanciunas (17) in the third quarter at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images
The NBA season has reached its most boring part of the season, the All-Star break. With the falling popularity of the Dunk Contest, All-Star weekend has become more of an opportunity for players to rest than anything else.
However, the actual basketball being played this season has been wildly exciting. Many hate CJ McCollum for changing the CBA, making it harder for teams to retain their full rosters, but it has done its job in making the NBA as competitively balanced as it’s ever been.
Unlike years past when we were just waiting for the Cavs and Warriors to rematch in the Finals, this season has us asking a few questions before we finish the second half. Here are my two biggest questions that still need to be answered.
Are the Pistons the Real Deal?
After losing a tightly contested first-round series with the Knicks last year, many were hoping for a small jump out of the Pistons. Well, they’ve skipped that step entirely and have the best winning percentage in the NBA, and have the third-best odds to win the Eastern Conference.
At the start of the year, I highly doubted that the Pistons were real, but I’m done doubting them. When JB Bickerstaff took over as head coach, I looked at him as more of a floor raiser than a ceiling raiser, but he’s instilled a culture in Detroit that is one of the best in the league.
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Cade Cunningham is playing at a first-team All-NBA level, and everyone around them has upped their game. Outside of that, it’s been the smaller moves that have been huge for Detroit. Daniss Jenkins has gone from an unused two-way player to a sharp-shooting rotation piece.
Duncan Robinson looked like he might be a bit of an overpay for Detroit, but he has become the exact floor spacer Cade needed. Then, of course, Jalen Duren turning into a walking double-double, and a perfect rim-running partner for Cade, can’t go unnoticed.
The Pistons didn’t look afraid of the moment last year, so I’m interested to see how they will look as heavy first-round favorites as we make it to April.
Could the Thunder be Vulnerable this Year?
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Jan 21, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) drives against Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) in the first half at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images
If Shai Gilgeous Alexander’s injury has any long-term impacts, who’s going to lead the Thunder? Chet Holmgren is having a career year in points, rebounds, and field goal percentage. He’s doing this while also having the second-best odds to win the defensive player of the year.
He’s been great, but he’s not a guy I trust as a number one option, and hopefully he doesn’t have to be. On the other hand, Jalen Williams has had a bit of a down year. Besides Williams having the worst shooting splits of his career, OKC has simply been better when he’s been off the court.
There’s no doubt he’s still incredibly valuable, but I’m not sold on him being used properly. I think he would be better suited in a lower usage role, as he’s been a bit of a ball stopper for the Thunder.
Because of these concerns, I think there are some real threats to the Thunder’s crown—specifically, two threats in the Spurs and Nuggets. I also want to believe in the Rockets, but their lack of a true point guard and spacing concerns feel like too much of an uphill battle.
Victor Wembanyama is obviously great, but more than just that, he’s done a miraculous job at giving the Thunder fits. The Thunder rely on getting downhill, and that’s just not going to happen against Wemby. But they’re more than Wemby at this point.
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De’Aron Fox has returned from injury and is back to playing like an All-Star. Not only that, but getting top three picks in back-to-back drafts and nailing those selections with Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper, most certainly helps.
Then with the Nuggets, they have Nikola Jokic, but more than having the best player on the planet, this might be the best team they’ve ever put around him. Jamal Murray is playing the best basketball of his career, and they’ve paired that with role players who work perfectly with Jokic.
Also, the firing of long-term coach Mike Malone was heavily scrutinized, but Adelman might have found the perfect offensive fit for Jokic. They slowed the game down significantly, going from 9th in possessions per game last year to 23rd this season. This change of pace has allowed them to work the ball through Jokic more and have him kick it back out to their perimeter shooters.
Both of these teams are much better suited to compete with the Thunder this year, but if OKC is at full strength, they’re still easily the team to beat this season.
Pakistan’s Shaheen Shah Afridi and teammate Usman Tariq leave the field after Pakistan lost their T20 World Cup game against India (AP Photo)
Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi launched a scathing attack on the senior core of the Pakistan national cricket team after their crushing 61-run defeat to India national cricket team in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup at R Premadasa Stadium.Led by Suryakumar Yadav, India dominated the Group A clash on Sunday, handing Pakistan a heavy blow and leaving them in a must-win situation against Namibia to have any chance of reaching the Super 8s.
T20 World Cup: India humiliate Pakistan again
Afridi, speaking on Samaa TV, did not hold back and urged the team management to make bold calls ahead of the crucial fixture. He called for the exclusion of senior players including Babar Azam, Shadab Khan and Shaheen Shah Afridi, stating that they had been given ample opportunities over the years without delivering consistent results. Notably, Shaheen is married to Afridi’s daughter Ansha.“Drop Shaheen, drop Shadab, and drop Babar. Try fresh faces against Namibia and give the new players a chance to build confidence. They’ve been playing for a long time. Whenever we expect them to perform, they don’t. If these senior players aren’t giving us the performances we desire, then play the juniors who are sitting on the bench. What is the difference?”, Afridi said during a Live show.Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha admitted after the match that the spinners failed to deliver on a surface that offered assistance.“We were believing in our spinners, and they had an off day today. Execution was missing in some parts of the game. We were obviously going to always believe our spinners, because they’ve done really well in last six month. And with the batting I think we didn’t start well and in T20 games if we lose 3 or 4 wickets in powerplay, you are always chasing the game,” he said in the post-match presentation ceremony.Salman also criticised the batting unit for not adapting to the conditions.“I think, to be very honest, like in first inning it was a bit tacky. The ball was gripping as well. So, the execution was, I think, missing when it comes to bowling, but I think the pitch better played better in the second inning than first inning. But our bowlers like, we didn’t bowl according to the situation. And when it comes to batting, we didn’t apply ourselves and gave us a chance to go deep in the game,” he said.
