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Deadspin | Phillies eager to ride ‘good start’ into rematch vs. Giants Apr 28, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly (8) in the dugout before start of game against the San Francisco Giants at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images After beginning the Don Mattingly era with a much-needed victory, the Philadelphia Phillies hope to ride the momentum into Wednesday night’s matchup with the visiting San Francisco Giants. Philadelphia entered Tuesday with a league-worst-tying 9-19 record, prompting the team to part ways with manager Rob Thomson. Mattingly was promoted from bench coach to replace Thomson on an interim basis — and the early results overwhelmingly were positive. Jesus Luzardo allowed just two hits over seven scoreless innings, while Trea Turner spurred the offense with four hits in the Phillies’ 7-0 victory over the Giants on Tuesday. Adolis Garcia drove in two runs, while Bryce Harper and Alec Bohm each added two hits and an RBI in the lopsided triumph. “It feels great, obviously, for us to win, and not necessarily for me,” said Mattingly, 65, a former major league manager with both the Los Angeles Dodgers and Miami Marlins “… It’s really about our club, and it’s a good win for us, as a team. Hopefully, this is the start of us playing better baseball.” Turner had not recorded a multi-hit game since April 12, while Bohm (.157), Kyle Schwarber (.190) and Bryson Stott (.213) are among the Phillies with lower-than-expected batting averages this season. “Tonight was a good start,” Turner said. “We’ve got to keep doing what we did. We played a great team game today. Everyone contributed.” For his part, Luzardo had not worked seven innings in a game all season. However, he was at his best against a Giants team that entered with seven wins in its previous 10 games. “We obviously could have done things better, but you can’t take away from the way Luzardo was throwing the ball,” San Francisco manager Tony Vitello said. Wednesday’s pitching matchup will feature two aces who have not been at their best this season. Philadelphia left-hander Cristopher Sanchez (2-2, 2.94 ERA) has won only once since Opening Day and is coming off a rough start against the Chicago Cubs on Thursday in a game in which he gave up six runs and a career-high 12 hits in 5 1/3 innings. Sanchez got a no-decision in his team’s 8-7 loss in 10 innings. “I just tried to execute the plan that we had, stay as long as I could in the game,” he said through an interpreter. “They jumped on their plan, and they got me.” Sanchez also was hit hard by San Francisco on April 7, when the Giants tagged him for four runs (two earned) and 11 hits in five innings in a 6-0 victory. That loss dropped Sanchez to 2-1 with a 1.82 ERA in six lifetime games against the Giants. Wednesday’s scheduled starter for San Francisco, right-hander Logan Webb (2-3, 4.86 ERA), yielded three runs in seven innings in his last start — a 3-0 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday. “I honestly thought that was one of the better games I’ve thrown this year,” Webb said, adding that he’s “still working, still trying to get back to what I expect of myself.” Webb is 0-1 with a 6.19 ERA in three career outings (all starts) against the Phillies. He did not face them when the teams met in San Francisco last month. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Phillies #eager #ride #good #start #rematch #Giants

Deadspin | Phillies eager to ride ‘good start’ into rematch vs. Giants
Deadspin | Phillies eager to ride ‘good start’ into rematch vs. Giants Apr 28, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly (8) in the dugout before start of game against the San Francisco Giants at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images After beginning the Don Mattingly era with a much-needed victory, the Philadelphia Phillies hope to ride the momentum into Wednesday night’s matchup with the visiting San Francisco Giants. Philadelphia entered Tuesday with a league-worst-tying 9-19 record, prompting the team to part ways with manager Rob Thomson. Mattingly was promoted from bench coach to replace Thomson on an interim basis — and the early results overwhelmingly were positive. Jesus Luzardo allowed just two hits over seven scoreless innings, while Trea Turner spurred the offense with four hits in the Phillies’ 7-0 victory over the Giants on Tuesday. Adolis Garcia drove in two runs, while Bryce Harper and Alec Bohm each added two hits and an RBI in the lopsided triumph. “It feels great, obviously, for us to win, and not necessarily for me,” said Mattingly, 65, a former major league manager with both the Los Angeles Dodgers and Miami Marlins “… It’s really about our club, and it’s a good win for us, as a team. Hopefully, this is the start of us playing better baseball.” Turner had not recorded a multi-hit game since April 12, while Bohm (.157), Kyle Schwarber (.190) and Bryson Stott (.213) are among the Phillies with lower-than-expected batting averages this season. “Tonight was a good start,” Turner said. “We’ve got to keep doing what we did. We played a great team game today. Everyone contributed.” For his part, Luzardo had not worked seven innings in a game all season. However, he was at his best against a Giants team that entered with seven wins in its previous 10 games. “We obviously could have done things better, but you can’t take away from the way Luzardo was throwing the ball,” San Francisco manager Tony Vitello said. Wednesday’s pitching matchup will feature two aces who have not been at their best this season. Philadelphia left-hander Cristopher Sanchez (2-2, 2.94 ERA) has won only once since Opening Day and is coming off a rough start against the Chicago Cubs on Thursday in a game in which he gave up six runs and a career-high 12 hits in 5 1/3 innings. Sanchez got a no-decision in his team’s 8-7 loss in 10 innings. “I just tried to execute the plan that we had, stay as long as I could in the game,” he said through an interpreter. “They jumped on their plan, and they got me.” Sanchez also was hit hard by San Francisco on April 7, when the Giants tagged him for four runs (two earned) and 11 hits in five innings in a 6-0 victory. That loss dropped Sanchez to 2-1 with a 1.82 ERA in six lifetime games against the Giants. Wednesday’s scheduled starter for San Francisco, right-hander Logan Webb (2-3, 4.86 ERA), yielded three runs in seven innings in his last start — a 3-0 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday. “I honestly thought that was one of the better games I’ve thrown this year,” Webb said, adding that he’s “still working, still trying to get back to what I expect of myself.” Webb is 0-1 with a 6.19 ERA in three career outings (all starts) against the Phillies. He did not face them when the teams met in San Francisco last month. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Phillies #eager #ride #good #start #rematch #GiantsApr 28, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly (8) in the dugout before start of game against the San Francisco Giants at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

After beginning the Don Mattingly era with a much-needed victory, the Philadelphia Phillies hope to ride the momentum into Wednesday night’s matchup with the visiting San Francisco Giants.

Philadelphia entered Tuesday with a league-worst-tying 9-19 record, prompting the team to part ways with manager Rob Thomson.

Mattingly was promoted from bench coach to replace Thomson on an interim basis — and the early results overwhelmingly were positive.

Jesus Luzardo allowed just two hits over seven scoreless innings, while Trea Turner spurred the offense with four hits in the Phillies’ 7-0 victory over the Giants on Tuesday. Adolis Garcia drove in two runs, while Bryce Harper and Alec Bohm each added two hits and an RBI in the lopsided triumph.

“It feels great, obviously, for us to win, and not necessarily for me,” said Mattingly, 65, a former major league manager with both the Los Angeles Dodgers and Miami Marlins “… It’s really about our club, and it’s a good win for us, as a team. Hopefully, this is the start of us playing better baseball.”

Turner had not recorded a multi-hit game since April 12, while Bohm (.157), Kyle Schwarber (.190) and Bryson Stott (.213) are among the Phillies with lower-than-expected batting averages this season.

“Tonight was a good start,” Turner said. “We’ve got to keep doing what we did. We played a great team game today. Everyone contributed.”

For his part, Luzardo had not worked seven innings in a game all season. However, he was at his best against a Giants team that entered with seven wins in its previous 10 games.


“We obviously could have done things better, but you can’t take away from the way Luzardo was throwing the ball,” San Francisco manager Tony Vitello said.

Wednesday’s pitching matchup will feature two aces who have not been at their best this season.

Philadelphia left-hander Cristopher Sanchez (2-2, 2.94 ERA) has won only once since Opening Day and is coming off a rough start against the Chicago Cubs on Thursday in a game in which he gave up six runs and a career-high 12 hits in 5 1/3 innings. Sanchez got a no-decision in his team’s 8-7 loss in 10 innings.

“I just tried to execute the plan that we had, stay as long as I could in the game,” he said through an interpreter. “They jumped on their plan, and they got me.”

Sanchez also was hit hard by San Francisco on April 7, when the Giants tagged him for four runs (two earned) and 11 hits in five innings in a 6-0 victory. That loss dropped Sanchez to 2-1 with a 1.82 ERA in six lifetime games against the Giants.

Wednesday’s scheduled starter for San Francisco, right-hander Logan Webb (2-3, 4.86 ERA), yielded three runs in seven innings in his last start — a 3-0 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday.

“I honestly thought that was one of the better games I’ve thrown this year,” Webb said, adding that he’s “still working, still trying to get back to what I expect of myself.”

Webb is 0-1 with a 6.19 ERA in three career outings (all starts) against the Phillies. He did not face them when the teams met in San Francisco last month.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Phillies #eager #ride #good #start #rematch #Giants

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Apr 28, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly (8) in the dugout before start of game against the San Francisco Giants at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

After beginning the Don Mattingly era with a much-needed victory, the Philadelphia Phillies hope to ride the momentum into Wednesday night’s matchup with the visiting San Francisco Giants.

Philadelphia entered Tuesday with a league-worst-tying 9-19 record, prompting the team to part ways with manager Rob Thomson.

Mattingly was promoted from bench coach to replace Thomson on an interim basis — and the early results overwhelmingly were positive.

Jesus Luzardo allowed just two hits over seven scoreless innings, while Trea Turner spurred the offense with four hits in the Phillies’ 7-0 victory over the Giants on Tuesday. Adolis Garcia drove in two runs, while Bryce Harper and Alec Bohm each added two hits and an RBI in the lopsided triumph.

“It feels great, obviously, for us to win, and not necessarily for me,” said Mattingly, 65, a former major league manager with both the Los Angeles Dodgers and Miami Marlins “… It’s really about our club, and it’s a good win for us, as a team. Hopefully, this is the start of us playing better baseball.”

Turner had not recorded a multi-hit game since April 12, while Bohm (.157), Kyle Schwarber (.190) and Bryson Stott (.213) are among the Phillies with lower-than-expected batting averages this season.

“Tonight was a good start,” Turner said. “We’ve got to keep doing what we did. We played a great team game today. Everyone contributed.”

For his part, Luzardo had not worked seven innings in a game all season. However, he was at his best against a Giants team that entered with seven wins in its previous 10 games.

“We obviously could have done things better, but you can’t take away from the way Luzardo was throwing the ball,” San Francisco manager Tony Vitello said.

Wednesday’s pitching matchup will feature two aces who have not been at their best this season.

Philadelphia left-hander Cristopher Sanchez (2-2, 2.94 ERA) has won only once since Opening Day and is coming off a rough start against the Chicago Cubs on Thursday in a game in which he gave up six runs and a career-high 12 hits in 5 1/3 innings. Sanchez got a no-decision in his team’s 8-7 loss in 10 innings.

“I just tried to execute the plan that we had, stay as long as I could in the game,” he said through an interpreter. “They jumped on their plan, and they got me.”

Sanchez also was hit hard by San Francisco on April 7, when the Giants tagged him for four runs (two earned) and 11 hits in five innings in a 6-0 victory. That loss dropped Sanchez to 2-1 with a 1.82 ERA in six lifetime games against the Giants.

Wednesday’s scheduled starter for San Francisco, right-hander Logan Webb (2-3, 4.86 ERA), yielded three runs in seven innings in his last start — a 3-0 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday.

“I honestly thought that was one of the better games I’ve thrown this year,” Webb said, adding that he’s “still working, still trying to get back to what I expect of myself.”

Webb is 0-1 with a 6.19 ERA in three career outings (all starts) against the Phillies. He did not face them when the teams met in San Francisco last month.

–Field Level Media

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#Deadspin #Phillies #eager #ride #good #start #rematch #Giants

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NBA Draft lottery changes are shortsighted, confusing, and create new problems <div id="zephr-anchor"><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1"><a href="https://www.sbnation.com/nba/1103241/nba-tanking-standings-odds-every-slot-bulls-mavs-2026-draft">Adam Silver heard the outcry over tanking</a> ahead of a <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/nba/1112669/nba-mock-draft-2026-update-after-college-basketball-early-entry-deadline-final-odds">loaded 2026 NBA Draft</a> and was determined to find a solution. The league has now settled on its preferred system of lottery reform, and it essentially reduces the distribution of top young talent entering the league to complete randomness.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">ESPN insider <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/48619907/sources-nba-eyes-new-anti-tanking-proposal-draft-lottery?referrer=scribe">Shams Charania revealed the NBA’s new “3-2-1” lottery system</a> on Tuesday night. Here’s what you need to know:</p></div><div class="duet--article--block-placement jgpyd51 jgpyd50 duet--article--article-body-component"><ul class="duet--article--unordered-list _1nfb3k4i feuejx0 ls9zuh1"><li class="feuejx1"><span class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup">The three worst teams in the league are in the “relegation zone,” which means they lose ping-pong balls.</span></li><li class="feuejx1"><span class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup">Teams that finish 4th through 10th in the reverse standings get three lottery balls in the drawing.</span></li><li class="feuejx1"><span class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup">Teams in the “relegation zone” get two lottery balls, and can’t fall further than the 12th pick</span></li><li class="feuejx1"><span class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup">“The Nos. 9 and 10 play-in seeds in each conference receive two lottery balls each, and the losers of the 7-8 play-in games receive one lottery ball each.”</span></li><li class="feuejx1"><span class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup">The lottery is expanded from 14 to 16 teams.</span></li><li class="feuejx1"><span class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup">Under the current system, lottery balls are only drawn for the top-4 picks. Now, the first 16 spots in the draft will be up for grabs in the drawing.</span></li><li class="feuejx1"><span class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup">Teams can’t land the No. 1 pick in back-to-back years, and they can’t pick in the top-5 three times in a row.</span></li></ul></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Got all that? Probably not, because it’s pretty complicated. When Adam Silver was weighing multiple options to reform the NBA Draft lottery last month, <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/nba/1108433/nba-anti-tanking-proposals-bad-no-good-trades-picks-lottery-hate-it">I wrote</a> “in rushing to find a medicine to cure tanking, the NBA risks giving itself bigger problems from the side effects.” While this system likely will curb tanking to some extent, it opens up a ton of new problems for the league.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">It’s pretty wild that Silver rushed this system through so hastily with it slated to take effect for the 2027 NBA Draft. Teams already made long-term roster decisions based on the incentives of the old rules. The Chicago Bulls traded Ayo Dosunmu and Coby White at the deadline after years of floundering in mediocrity to increase their chances at finding a star. This system <em>rewards</em> mediocrity. It would have been nice if Chicago actually knew the rules before making its February deals. The Memphis Grizzlies traded away Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane because they felt like they couldn’t get out of the middle of the Western Conference standings. Would Memphis had made the same decisions if they knew the lottery format would change like this?</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">It’s no surprise the league is giving itself the option to opt out of this plan after the 2029 NBA Draft, per Charania’s report. This lottery format feels like an extremely slippery slope for a few reasons. Let’s get into it.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p><h2 class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup">The new lottery system kills hope for diehard fans of bad teams</h2></p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Teams had the ability to go from worst-to-first under the current lottery system despite the fact that the worst team in the league literally never won the lottery since the last round of reform went into effect in 2019. The Detroit Pistons, San Antonio Spurs, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Minnesota Timberwolves all made the worst-to-first jump in the 2020s.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Those are all small market teams who used the draft to land their franchise player. They still had to get lucky to land the top pick. It’s just going to require way more luck for bad teams to get good under this system.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1"><strong>The risk of this system is that it creates a permanent NBA underclass</strong>. Now the worst team in the league can fall to the 12th pick. Given how rarely good players change hands in free agency these days (more on that later), it feels like bad teams could get stuck in a cycle of being bad for a long, long time.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">If teams can’t sell wins, they need to sell hope. What hope would fans of bad teams have now knowing they could fall out of the top-10 in the draft? The risk here is that diehard fans of bad teams just choose to give up because there’s no path forward.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p><h2 class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup">Lottery reform feels like it should be coupled with free agency changes</h2></p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">How are bad teams supposed to get good players if they can’t do it through the draft? Free agency and trades are the only other options, but the prospect of bad teams overpaying free agents to land them only offers more downside, especially in this more punitive CBA.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">It feels like the league needs more good young players to hit free agency if it doesn’t want teams to tank for the draft. One idea I saw elsewhere that I liked was eliminating restricted free agency. Under the current system, the Pistons still have the ability to match any contract offer to Jalen Duren even after failing to reach an extension with him. What if Duren was just an unrestricted free agent this year, and could be had for any team?</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Something like that would open up more avenues for talent acquisition outside of the draft. For now, it feels like bad teams that don’t get lottery luck are simply screwed.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p><h2 class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup">The NBA already killed free agency. Will these changes kill trades, too?</h2></p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Silver heard the outcry over Kevin Durant signing with the Golden State Warriors, and essentially made rule changes that kept superstars away from free agency. The last true superstar to change teams in free agency was Kawhi Leonard signing with the Los Angeles Clippers in 2019. Since then, the biggest player to change teams in free agency is … washed Paul George in 2024?</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">The NBA gets a lot of attention from offseason player movement. I wonder if these changes will make teams more reluctant to trade their future first-round picks, thus diminishing the trade market, too.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">First-round picks are the currency of trades. A team that was around .500 was more incentivized to trade a future first because it had a lower probability of turning into a premium pick. Now that’s been flipped on its head.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">This is all pretty speculative for now, but it’s something to monitor. This new lottery system will have unintended consequences, and it would be a net-loss for the NBA if it resulted in fewer trades.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p><h2 class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup">Tanking will still happen under these lottery rules, just in different ways</h2></p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">This lottery system should curb tanking, but it won’t eliminate it entirely. If the goal of these changes is to preserve the sanctity of March and April games, I’m not sure that’s going to happen.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Let’s say a team enters the All-Star break in 10th place in their conference. They might not want to risk losing a ping pong ball by making the 7/8 play-in game, so they will still rest players as long as they have a big enough cushion not to finish in the bottom-3. The sweet spot in this reform is the 4-10 range. Given how often injuries play a factor in team performance — and given how many significant injuries there are in the modern game — it feels likely a team can still rest players/try to lose on purpose from an organizational perspective and still enter the lottery sitting pretty.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p><h2 class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup">Tanking was never the NBA’s biggest problem anyway</h2></p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Adam Silver is a reactionary. He reads online criticism, and he acts quickly. My complaint with rushing through this tanking reform is that fans of teams that are tanking aren’t the ones doing the complaining. It’s usually coming from football fans after the Super Bowl who will just find another way to criticize the NBA even if tanking was solved.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1"><strong>The NBA’s biggest issue is that the regular season lacks anything resembling meaningful stakes</strong>. Silver thinks that these lottery reforms will fix that problem, but I’m extremely dubious. If the NBA wants to give the regular season more stakes, it needs to reduce the number of games. Play every team twice and call it a season. Once the NBA adds its two expansion teams in Las Vegas and Seattle, that would create a 62-game schedule. It gives the players more rest in between games, and cancels a lot of the end of season games where tanking tomfoolery is happening.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">The point of the draft is to give the worst teams the best young players. The NBA apparently doesn’t see it that way, and they’re instead leaving it all up to chance.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1"><a href="https://draft-lottery-simulator.figma.site/">This lottery simulator shows how much randomness is in the new system</a>. Play with it yourself:</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">On my first spin, the Miami Heat drew the No. 1 pick and the Washington Wizards fell to 12th. Is that the type of system the NBA really wants?</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">The biggest winner of these lottery changes feel like … the Oklahoma City Thunder. <a href="https://fanspo.com/nba/teams/oklahoma-city-thunder/21/draft-picks">Check out all of the future first-round picks OKC owns here</a>. Now their future picks coming from the Nuggets and their swap rights with the Clippers could be even more valuable, as those teams likely wouldn’t have been near the bottom of the standings, but could be in the middle ground that is now more fruitful.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Back in 2017, <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/nba/2017/3/26/14973314/kill-the-nba-draft-rookies-ncaa-free-agency">the great Tom Ziller wrote a column at this site titled “Kill the NBA Draft</a>.” <a href="https://www.teamziller.com/">Subscribe to Tom’s newsletter here for more great NBA coverage</a>.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Given how much randomness is in this new system, I find myself far more open to just killing the draft entirely starting in 2030. Give every team a rookie exception they can offer top players. Let teams with cap space offer them more money beyond that. It would make sense if a bad team has more open cap space and could hypothetically offer the next Cooper Flagg a max deal out of college. If Flagg prefers to sign with his childhood favorite Boston Celtics instead, so be it.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">The NBA is opening up a whole new can of worms with this lottery system, and the people it hurts the most are loyal fans of hopeless franchises. The NBA really does not want a world where those people check out of the league entirely. I feel like it could happen after these changes.</p></div></div> #NBA #Draft #lottery #shortsighted #confusing #create #problems

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Deadspin | Timbers, Sounders return from extended break with rivalry clash May 24, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Seattle Sounders FC forward Paul Rothrock (14) kicks the ball during the first half against LAFC at BMO Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images The Portland Timbers will have a fresh face on their bench when they return from the World Cup break to face the host Seattle Sounders on Thursday night in a Cascadia Cup clash. The Timbers (4-8-2, 14 points) parted ways with coach Phil Neville after a 3-1 loss to visiting San Jose heading into the break that extended their winless streak to three matches (0-2-1). Jack Cassidy, 36, who is in his first year as coach of the Timbers’ MLS Next Pro team Timbers2, will take over on an interim basis until a new coach is found. “Jack has impressed in his first year with Timbers2 and (we) see this is the right temporary staffing structure until we complete the coaching search,” Timbers general manager Ned Grabavoy said in a news release. The Timbers went 27-31-24 in two-plus seasons under Neville, losing in the wild-card round in 2024 and the first round of the playoffs in 2025. Kevin Kelsy leads the Timbers in goals and is tied for second on the team in assists (three), with Kristoffer Velde adding four goals and three helpers. The Timbers, who are just 1-6-1 on the road, have conceded 28 goals while scoring 22. The Sounders (7-3-3, 24 points) had a nine-match MLS unbeaten run snapped with losses to both Los Angeles teams heading into the break. They took their first home loss of the campaign in a 2-0 defeat to the Galaxy, then dropped a 1-0 decision at Los Angeles FC. Behind defender Jackson Ragen, who was named a reserve for the MLS All-Stars for their match against the Liga MX All-Stars on July 29 in Charlotte, the Sounders are tied for the league lead with only 11 goals allowed. Paul Rothrock has a team-high four goals for Seattle, which has tallied just 17 times, 13th out of 15 Western Conference teams. The Sounders have ruled out U.S. international Cristian Roldan after reaggravating a right quad injury he sustained in training during the World Cup. Roldan didn’t appear in any of the Americans’ matches, including their two played in Seattle. As difficult as that might have been for Roldan, keeping the ultra-competitive midfielder out of a Cascadia Cup match might be just as daunting for the Sounders. “It’ll be impossible. An unforgettable bashing of skulls,” Sounders general manager Craig Waibel joked. “There is going to have to be some rest somewhere.” –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Timbers #Sounders #return #extended #break #rivalry #clashMay 24, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Seattle Sounders FC forward Paul Rothrock (14) kicks the ball during the first half against LAFC at BMO Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

The Portland Timbers will have a fresh face on their bench when they return from the World Cup break to face the host Seattle Sounders on Thursday night in a Cascadia Cup clash.

The Timbers (4-8-2, 14 points) parted ways with coach Phil Neville after a 3-1 loss to visiting San Jose heading into the break that extended their winless streak to three matches (0-2-1). Jack Cassidy, 36, who is in his first year as coach of the Timbers’ MLS Next Pro team Timbers2, will take over on an interim basis until a new coach is found.

“Jack has impressed in his first year with Timbers2 and (we) see this is the right temporary staffing structure until we complete the coaching search,” Timbers general manager Ned Grabavoy said in a news release.

The Timbers went 27-31-24 in two-plus seasons under Neville, losing in the wild-card round in 2024 and the first round of the playoffs in 2025.

Kevin Kelsy leads the Timbers in goals and is tied for second on the team in assists (three), with Kristoffer Velde adding four goals and three helpers. The Timbers, who are just 1-6-1 on the road, have conceded 28 goals while scoring 22.


The Sounders (7-3-3, 24 points) had a nine-match MLS unbeaten run snapped with losses to both Los Angeles teams heading into the break. They took their first home loss of the campaign in a 2-0 defeat to the Galaxy, then dropped a 1-0 decision at Los Angeles FC.

Behind defender Jackson Ragen, who was named a reserve for the MLS All-Stars for their match against the Liga MX All-Stars on July 29 in Charlotte, the Sounders are tied for the league lead with only 11 goals allowed. Paul Rothrock has a team-high four goals for Seattle, which has tallied just 17 times, 13th out of 15 Western Conference teams.

The Sounders have ruled out U.S. international Cristian Roldan after reaggravating a right quad injury he sustained in training during the World Cup. Roldan didn’t appear in any of the Americans’ matches, including their two played in Seattle.

As difficult as that might have been for Roldan, keeping the ultra-competitive midfielder out of a Cascadia Cup match might be just as daunting for the Sounders.

“It’ll be impossible. An unforgettable bashing of skulls,” Sounders general manager Craig Waibel joked. “There is going to have to be some rest somewhere.”

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Timbers #Sounders #return #extended #break #rivalry #clash">Deadspin | Timbers, Sounders return from extended break with rivalry clash May 24, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Seattle Sounders FC forward Paul Rothrock (14) kicks the ball during the first half against LAFC at BMO Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images The Portland Timbers will have a fresh face on their bench when they return from the World Cup break to face the host Seattle Sounders on Thursday night in a Cascadia Cup clash. The Timbers (4-8-2, 14 points) parted ways with coach Phil Neville after a 3-1 loss to visiting San Jose heading into the break that extended their winless streak to three matches (0-2-1). Jack Cassidy, 36, who is in his first year as coach of the Timbers’ MLS Next Pro team Timbers2, will take over on an interim basis until a new coach is found. “Jack has impressed in his first year with Timbers2 and (we) see this is the right temporary staffing structure until we complete the coaching search,” Timbers general manager Ned Grabavoy said in a news release. The Timbers went 27-31-24 in two-plus seasons under Neville, losing in the wild-card round in 2024 and the first round of the playoffs in 2025. Kevin Kelsy leads the Timbers in goals and is tied for second on the team in assists (three), with Kristoffer Velde adding four goals and three helpers. The Timbers, who are just 1-6-1 on the road, have conceded 28 goals while scoring 22. The Sounders (7-3-3, 24 points) had a nine-match MLS unbeaten run snapped with losses to both Los Angeles teams heading into the break. They took their first home loss of the campaign in a 2-0 defeat to the Galaxy, then dropped a 1-0 decision at Los Angeles FC. Behind defender Jackson Ragen, who was named a reserve for the MLS All-Stars for their match against the Liga MX All-Stars on July 29 in Charlotte, the Sounders are tied for the league lead with only 11 goals allowed. Paul Rothrock has a team-high four goals for Seattle, which has tallied just 17 times, 13th out of 15 Western Conference teams. The Sounders have ruled out U.S. international Cristian Roldan after reaggravating a right quad injury he sustained in training during the World Cup. Roldan didn’t appear in any of the Americans’ matches, including their two played in Seattle. As difficult as that might have been for Roldan, keeping the ultra-competitive midfielder out of a Cascadia Cup match might be just as daunting for the Sounders. “It’ll be impossible. An unforgettable bashing of skulls,” Sounders general manager Craig Waibel joked. “There is going to have to be some rest somewhere.” –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Timbers #Sounders #return #extended #break #rivalry #clash

Victor Wembanyama gave NBA fans a good reminder not to overreact to Las Vegas Summer League after the San Antonio Spurs selected him at No. 1 overall in the 2023 NBA Draft. Wembanyama’s summer league debut was a dud as he finished with nine points on 2-of-13 shooting from the field. It’s safe to say Wemby’s career would turn out just fine after he led the Spurs to the NBA Finals in his third season at age-22.

Still, it’s hard to shake a bad first impression for rookies entering the league. Fans want to think their new players are bound to be stars, or at least dependable role players. When rookies disappoint in summer league, it’s still a bummer even it means basically nothing for the long-term outlook of their career.

Here are the rookies who have underwhelmed in summer league so far. If nothing else, it will be helpful to look back on this list if and when these players become solid contributors to show future rookies that a bad start to summer league isn’t that big of a deal.

Aday Mara, C, Oklahoma City Thunder

Mara was arguably the biggest winner of March Madness, going from a player typically projected in the mid-20s to a surefire lottery pick after Michigan’s national championship run. The Thunder selected him at No. 12 overall, and his rim protection plus high-level passing ability felt like a natural fit for their system. I was on the Mara bandwagon in the predraft process, but during my conversations with front office people and other writers I started to notice that he was perhaps the most polarizing player in the class. Some people viewed him as a low ceiling center who should be a fringe first-round pick, while others had him in the top-10.

Mara has struggled a bit away from Michigan’s amazing infrastructure at the start of his summer league run. He’s only shot 46 percent from the field through his first four games, which is pretty underwhelming for a 7’3 guy. His touch has looked shaky around the rim, and there are moments of passivity defensively. There are positive flashes on the tape too of course, like this overpowering drive and dunk, and some of his signature passing to cutters on the move. I do think it’s fair to question Mara’s scoring utility if he struggles to get deep post position because of a high center of gravity, and there’s no doubt he has to earn his early minutes on the defensive end. I’m not worried, but the Mara skeptics have a little more ammunition after this summer league run.

Dailyn Swain, G, Chicago Bulls

I had a front row seat at the NBA Draft Combine scrimmages, and was surprised to see Dailyn Swain on the court. The combine scrimmages are typically only for fringe draft picks, and by this point Swain had already solidified himself as a mid first-rounder. Even more surprising was that Swain did not play particularly well in a setting where he should have been the best player on the floor, showing a slow and hitchy release on his jumper and looking a bit lost offensively. The Bulls were undeterred and selected Swain at No. 15, but his struggles have continued through his first couple games in summer league.

Swain shot 3-of-10 from the floor in Chicago’s opener in Las Vegas, then shot 0-of-9 from the floor in his second game and 0-of-7 from the floor in the third game. The Bulls have indicated that they see him as a ball handler long-term, but he’s clearly struggled to handle against pressure thus far. That would be less of an issue if Swain had a reliable off-ball game, but right now his jumper looks as broken as ever. The Bulls did Swain no favors with this roster construction, failing to put a dependable point guard next to him that could handle against ball pressure and get him some easier shots. Instead, Swain has admitted he’s overthinking every move on the court. There have been some flashes of the downhill driving that popped this past season at Texas, but for now it’s clear Swain isn’t a point guard and needs to put plenty of work in on fixing his jumper.

Darius Acuff, G, Sacramento Kings

Acuff had a legendary scoring season at Arkansas, but sharp scouts noticed concerns with process on both ends of the floor. The point guard’s shot profile was pretty mid-range heavy, and while his three-point shooting numbers were excellent in the small college sample, they were more concerning if you include the high school data. Acuff’s real questions came on the defensive end, where he didn’t show much effort in addition to having poor tools. These concerns have continued in summer league, where Acuff has posted underwhelming scoring efficiency and ghastly defensive tape while still showing the talent that made him a certain lottery pick.

Acuff hasn’t done anything to show that his NBA defense will be better than the level he showed in college. So far, lazy closeouts, spacey off-ball defense, and a lack of hustle have been all over the tape. It often feels like he’s not actively engaged in the game when his team doesn’t have the ball. There’s going to be a high bar to meet offensively for a guard who is this poor on defense, and Acuff hasn’t been close to it yet. He’s scored 78 points on 82 shots through four games. His decision-making hasn’t been great as a passer either with 18 assists to 14 turnovers. I was way low on Acuff on my mid-season board before he started to win me over by consistently delivering in big games at Arkansas. Will the Kings ever play in any big games while he’s on the team? I hope so, because that fanbase deserves better.

Keaton Wagler, G, Los Angeles Clippers

Wagler hasn’t made anything look easy in summer league. The No. 5 pick has struggled to create separation off the dribble, he hasn’t been a plus with his playmaking, and he’s basically a non-factor on the glass. Wagler’s 8.2 PER is the worst of any top-10 pick through two summer league games despite getting hot in the second half against Utah in his second game. The athletic concerns entering the draft appear to be valid for now. Wagler just doesn’t have a lot of burst as a ball handler, and even some of his effective drives have been pretty ugly. He got dusted by Darryn Peterson on a couple occasions, including on the No. 2 pick’s poster slam where he struggled to get under a screen. With five assists and four turnovers, he looks better suited for shooting guard than point guard at the moment. Wagler has admitted that leaving Illinois’ five-out system has been challenging, and I suspected that would be the case entering the draft. Wagler is naturally going to add muscle to his thin frame as he goes on in the league, and being in an NBA strength and conditioning program should be very good for him long-term. The Clippers can give him both on-ball and off-ball reps this year, and that should be good for his development. When the off-the-dribble shot-making is falling, Wagler looks terrific. He’s far from a finished product, but Clippers fans should still be feeling encouraged long-term.

Christian Anderson, G, Charlotte Hornets

Anderson should have a shot to be Coby White’s backup as a rookie after the Hornets traded LaMelo Ball, but he’s looked pretty far away from being a real contributor during his summer league run. Through three games, Anderson has been unable to catch a rhythm with his shot while struggling with turnovers and not doing much on the defensive end. Anderson had a reputation as one of the draft’s best shooters, but his inability to play to contact inside the arc means he’s settling for a lot of tough pull-up threes right now, which has hurt his scoring efficiency (43.2 percent true shooting). I liked his live-dribble passing at Texas Tech, but the passing windows haven’t been there yet, and it’s resulted in a 6.7 percent assist rate compared to a 20.1 percent turnover rate. Anderson isn’t too big or too athletic, so it’s hard to expect him to be a monster driving to the rim. That means he’s likely going to have to live off tough shots. It’s a good thing the Hornets are one of the best offensive rebounding teams around.

Nate Ament, F, Milwaukee Bucks

While Brayden Burries has been arguably the most impressive rookie at summer league thus far, the Bucks’ other lottery pick Nate Ament hasn’t looked very assertive or effective. Ament has only scored 21 points in 65 minutes, and just doesn’t seem very comfortable getting into his shot yet. He knocked down a couple threes against the Suns, and focusing on spacing the floor and making an impact on defense is probably his best path forward early in his career. Ament has the frame to be a good defender in time, but he’s just not there yet. His awareness is pretty poor right now, and he can struggle with physicality. As long as Ament is a good three-point shooter, he’ll have some immediate utility on offense, and his defense should improve in time as the Bucks continue to beef him up. Until then, just enjoy the Brayden Burries show, Bucks fans.

#NBA #Summer #League #rookies #struggling #live #hype">6 NBA Summer League rookies struggling to live up to the hype so far Victor Wembanyama gave NBA fans a good reminder not to overreact to Las Vegas Summer League after the San Antonio Spurs selected him at No. 1 overall in the 2023 NBA Draft. Wembanyama’s summer league debut was a dud as he finished with nine points on 2-of-13 shooting from the field. It’s safe to say Wemby’s career would turn out just fine after he led the Spurs to the NBA Finals in his third season at age-22.Still, it’s hard to shake a bad first impression for rookies entering the league. Fans want to think their new players are bound to be stars, or at least dependable role players. When rookies disappoint in summer league, it’s still a bummer even it means basically nothing for the long-term outlook of their career.Here are the rookies who have underwhelmed in summer league so far. If nothing else, it will be helpful to look back on this list if and when these players become solid contributors to show future rookies that a bad start to summer league isn’t that big of a deal.Aday Mara, C, Oklahoma City ThunderMara was arguably the biggest winner of March Madness, going from a player typically projected in the mid-20s to a surefire lottery pick after Michigan’s national championship run. The Thunder selected him at No. 12 overall, and his rim protection plus high-level passing ability felt like a natural fit for their system. I was on the Mara bandwagon in the predraft process, but during my conversations with front office people and other writers I started to notice that he was perhaps the most polarizing player in the class. Some people viewed him as a low ceiling center who should be a fringe first-round pick, while others had him in the top-10.Mara has struggled a bit away from Michigan’s amazing infrastructure at the start of his summer league run. He’s only shot 46 percent from the field through his first four games, which is pretty underwhelming for a 7’3 guy. His touch has looked shaky around the rim, and there are moments of passivity defensively. There are positive flashes on the tape too of course, like this overpowering drive and dunk, and some of his signature passing to cutters on the move. I do think it’s fair to question Mara’s scoring utility if he struggles to get deep post position because of a high center of gravity, and there’s no doubt he has to earn his early minutes on the defensive end. I’m not worried, but the Mara skeptics have a little more ammunition after this summer league run.Dailyn Swain, G, Chicago BullsI had a front row seat at the NBA Draft Combine scrimmages, and was surprised to see Dailyn Swain on the court. The combine scrimmages are typically only for fringe draft picks, and by this point Swain had already solidified himself as a mid first-rounder. Even more surprising was that Swain did not play particularly well in a setting where he should have been the best player on the floor, showing a slow and hitchy release on his jumper and looking a bit lost offensively. The Bulls were undeterred and selected Swain at No. 15, but his struggles have continued through his first couple games in summer league.Swain shot 3-of-10 from the floor in Chicago’s opener in Las Vegas, then shot 0-of-9 from the floor in his second game and 0-of-7 from the floor in the third game. The Bulls have indicated that they see him as a ball handler long-term, but he’s clearly struggled to handle against pressure thus far. That would be less of an issue if Swain had a reliable off-ball game, but right now his jumper looks as broken as ever. The Bulls did Swain no favors with this roster construction, failing to put a dependable point guard next to him that could handle against ball pressure and get him some easier shots. Instead, Swain has admitted he’s overthinking every move on the court. There have been some flashes of the downhill driving that popped this past season at Texas, but for now it’s clear Swain isn’t a point guard and needs to put plenty of work in on fixing his jumper.Darius Acuff, G, Sacramento KingsAcuff had a legendary scoring season at Arkansas, but sharp scouts noticed concerns with process on both ends of the floor. The point guard’s shot profile was pretty mid-range heavy, and while his three-point shooting numbers were excellent in the small college sample, they were more concerning if you include the high school data. Acuff’s real questions came on the defensive end, where he didn’t show much effort in addition to having poor tools. These concerns have continued in summer league, where Acuff has posted underwhelming scoring efficiency and ghastly defensive tape while still showing the talent that made him a certain lottery pick.Acuff hasn’t done anything to show that his NBA defense will be better than the level he showed in college. So far, lazy closeouts, spacey off-ball defense, and a lack of hustle have been all over the tape. It often feels like he’s not actively engaged in the game when his team doesn’t have the ball. There’s going to be a high bar to meet offensively for a guard who is this poor on defense, and Acuff hasn’t been close to it yet. He’s scored 78 points on 82 shots through four games. His decision-making hasn’t been great as a passer either with 18 assists to 14 turnovers. I was way low on Acuff on my mid-season board before he started to win me over by consistently delivering in big games at Arkansas. Will the Kings ever play in any big games while he’s on the team? I hope so, because that fanbase deserves better.Keaton Wagler, G, Los Angeles ClippersWagler hasn’t made anything look easy in summer league. The No. 5 pick has struggled to create separation off the dribble, he hasn’t been a plus with his playmaking, and he’s basically a non-factor on the glass. Wagler’s 8.2 PER is the worst of any top-10 pick through two summer league games despite getting hot in the second half against Utah in his second game. The athletic concerns entering the draft appear to be valid for now. Wagler just doesn’t have a lot of burst as a ball handler, and even some of his effective drives have been pretty ugly. He got dusted by Darryn Peterson on a couple occasions, including on the No. 2 pick’s poster slam where he struggled to get under a screen. With five assists and four turnovers, he looks better suited for shooting guard than point guard at the moment. Wagler has admitted that leaving Illinois’ five-out system has been challenging, and I suspected that would be the case entering the draft. Wagler is naturally going to add muscle to his thin frame as he goes on in the league, and being in an NBA strength and conditioning program should be very good for him long-term. The Clippers can give him both on-ball and off-ball reps this year, and that should be good for his development. When the off-the-dribble shot-making is falling, Wagler looks terrific. He’s far from a finished product, but Clippers fans should still be feeling encouraged long-term.Christian Anderson, G, Charlotte HornetsAnderson should have a shot to be Coby White’s backup as a rookie after the Hornets traded LaMelo Ball, but he’s looked pretty far away from being a real contributor during his summer league run. Through three games, Anderson has been unable to catch a rhythm with his shot while struggling with turnovers and not doing much on the defensive end. Anderson had a reputation as one of the draft’s best shooters, but his inability to play to contact inside the arc means he’s settling for a lot of tough pull-up threes right now, which has hurt his scoring efficiency (43.2 percent true shooting). I liked his live-dribble passing at Texas Tech, but the passing windows haven’t been there yet, and it’s resulted in a 6.7 percent assist rate compared to a 20.1 percent turnover rate. Anderson isn’t too big or too athletic, so it’s hard to expect him to be a monster driving to the rim. That means he’s likely going to have to live off tough shots. It’s a good thing the Hornets are one of the best offensive rebounding teams around.Nate Ament, F, Milwaukee BucksWhile Brayden Burries has been arguably the most impressive rookie at summer league thus far, the Bucks’ other lottery pick Nate Ament hasn’t looked very assertive or effective. Ament has only scored 21 points in 65 minutes, and just doesn’t seem very comfortable getting into his shot yet. He knocked down a couple threes against the Suns, and focusing on spacing the floor and making an impact on defense is probably his best path forward early in his career. Ament has the frame to be a good defender in time, but he’s just not there yet. His awareness is pretty poor right now, and he can struggle with physicality. As long as Ament is a good three-point shooter, he’ll have some immediate utility on offense, and his defense should improve in time as the Bucks continue to beef him up. Until then, just enjoy the Brayden Burries show, Bucks fans. #NBA #Summer #League #rookies #struggling #live #hype

Wembanyama’s summer league debut was a dud as he finished with nine points on 2-of-13 shooting from the field. It’s safe to say Wemby’s career would turn out just fine after he led the Spurs to the NBA Finals in his third season at age-22.

Still, it’s hard to shake a bad first impression for rookies entering the league. Fans want to think their new players are bound to be stars, or at least dependable role players. When rookies disappoint in summer league, it’s still a bummer even it means basically nothing for the long-term outlook of their career.

Here are the rookies who have underwhelmed in summer league so far. If nothing else, it will be helpful to look back on this list if and when these players become solid contributors to show future rookies that a bad start to summer league isn’t that big of a deal.

Aday Mara, C, Oklahoma City Thunder

Mara was arguably the biggest winner of March Madness, going from a player typically projected in the mid-20s to a surefire lottery pick after Michigan’s national championship run. The Thunder selected him at No. 12 overall, and his rim protection plus high-level passing ability felt like a natural fit for their system. I was on the Mara bandwagon in the predraft process, but during my conversations with front office people and other writers I started to notice that he was perhaps the most polarizing player in the class. Some people viewed him as a low ceiling center who should be a fringe first-round pick, while others had him in the top-10.

Mara has struggled a bit away from Michigan’s amazing infrastructure at the start of his summer league run. He’s only shot 46 percent from the field through his first four games, which is pretty underwhelming for a 7’3 guy. His touch has looked shaky around the rim, and there are moments of passivity defensively. There are positive flashes on the tape too of course, like this overpowering drive and dunk, and some of his signature passing to cutters on the move. I do think it’s fair to question Mara’s scoring utility if he struggles to get deep post position because of a high center of gravity, and there’s no doubt he has to earn his early minutes on the defensive end. I’m not worried, but the Mara skeptics have a little more ammunition after this summer league run.

Dailyn Swain, G, Chicago Bulls

I had a front row seat at the NBA Draft Combine scrimmages, and was surprised to see Dailyn Swain on the court. The combine scrimmages are typically only for fringe draft picks, and by this point Swain had already solidified himself as a mid first-rounder. Even more surprising was that Swain did not play particularly well in a setting where he should have been the best player on the floor, showing a slow and hitchy release on his jumper and looking a bit lost offensively. The Bulls were undeterred and selected Swain at No. 15, but his struggles have continued through his first couple games in summer league.

Swain shot 3-of-10 from the floor in Chicago’s opener in Las Vegas, then shot 0-of-9 from the floor in his second game and 0-of-7 from the floor in the third game. The Bulls have indicated that they see him as a ball handler long-term, but he’s clearly struggled to handle against pressure thus far. That would be less of an issue if Swain had a reliable off-ball game, but right now his jumper looks as broken as ever. The Bulls did Swain no favors with this roster construction, failing to put a dependable point guard next to him that could handle against ball pressure and get him some easier shots. Instead, Swain has admitted he’s overthinking every move on the court. There have been some flashes of the downhill driving that popped this past season at Texas, but for now it’s clear Swain isn’t a point guard and needs to put plenty of work in on fixing his jumper.

Darius Acuff, G, Sacramento Kings

Acuff had a legendary scoring season at Arkansas, but sharp scouts noticed concerns with process on both ends of the floor. The point guard’s shot profile was pretty mid-range heavy, and while his three-point shooting numbers were excellent in the small college sample, they were more concerning if you include the high school data. Acuff’s real questions came on the defensive end, where he didn’t show much effort in addition to having poor tools. These concerns have continued in summer league, where Acuff has posted underwhelming scoring efficiency and ghastly defensive tape while still showing the talent that made him a certain lottery pick.

Acuff hasn’t done anything to show that his NBA defense will be better than the level he showed in college. So far, lazy closeouts, spacey off-ball defense, and a lack of hustle have been all over the tape. It often feels like he’s not actively engaged in the game when his team doesn’t have the ball. There’s going to be a high bar to meet offensively for a guard who is this poor on defense, and Acuff hasn’t been close to it yet. He’s scored 78 points on 82 shots through four games. His decision-making hasn’t been great as a passer either with 18 assists to 14 turnovers. I was way low on Acuff on my mid-season board before he started to win me over by consistently delivering in big games at Arkansas. Will the Kings ever play in any big games while he’s on the team? I hope so, because that fanbase deserves better.

Keaton Wagler, G, Los Angeles Clippers

Wagler hasn’t made anything look easy in summer league. The No. 5 pick has struggled to create separation off the dribble, he hasn’t been a plus with his playmaking, and he’s basically a non-factor on the glass. Wagler’s 8.2 PER is the worst of any top-10 pick through two summer league games despite getting hot in the second half against Utah in his second game. The athletic concerns entering the draft appear to be valid for now. Wagler just doesn’t have a lot of burst as a ball handler, and even some of his effective drives have been pretty ugly. He got dusted by Darryn Peterson on a couple occasions, including on the No. 2 pick’s poster slam where he struggled to get under a screen. With five assists and four turnovers, he looks better suited for shooting guard than point guard at the moment. Wagler has admitted that leaving Illinois’ five-out system has been challenging, and I suspected that would be the case entering the draft. Wagler is naturally going to add muscle to his thin frame as he goes on in the league, and being in an NBA strength and conditioning program should be very good for him long-term. The Clippers can give him both on-ball and off-ball reps this year, and that should be good for his development. When the off-the-dribble shot-making is falling, Wagler looks terrific. He’s far from a finished product, but Clippers fans should still be feeling encouraged long-term.

Christian Anderson, G, Charlotte Hornets

Anderson should have a shot to be Coby White’s backup as a rookie after the Hornets traded LaMelo Ball, but he’s looked pretty far away from being a real contributor during his summer league run. Through three games, Anderson has been unable to catch a rhythm with his shot while struggling with turnovers and not doing much on the defensive end. Anderson had a reputation as one of the draft’s best shooters, but his inability to play to contact inside the arc means he’s settling for a lot of tough pull-up threes right now, which has hurt his scoring efficiency (43.2 percent true shooting). I liked his live-dribble passing at Texas Tech, but the passing windows haven’t been there yet, and it’s resulted in a 6.7 percent assist rate compared to a 20.1 percent turnover rate. Anderson isn’t too big or too athletic, so it’s hard to expect him to be a monster driving to the rim. That means he’s likely going to have to live off tough shots. It’s a good thing the Hornets are one of the best offensive rebounding teams around.

Nate Ament, F, Milwaukee Bucks

While Brayden Burries has been arguably the most impressive rookie at summer league thus far, the Bucks’ other lottery pick Nate Ament hasn’t looked very assertive or effective. Ament has only scored 21 points in 65 minutes, and just doesn’t seem very comfortable getting into his shot yet. He knocked down a couple threes against the Suns, and focusing on spacing the floor and making an impact on defense is probably his best path forward early in his career. Ament has the frame to be a good defender in time, but he’s just not there yet. His awareness is pretty poor right now, and he can struggle with physicality. As long as Ament is a good three-point shooter, he’ll have some immediate utility on offense, and his defense should improve in time as the Bucks continue to beef him up. Until then, just enjoy the Brayden Burries show, Bucks fans.

#NBA #Summer #League #rookies #struggling #live #hype">6 NBA Summer League rookies struggling to live up to the hype so far

Victor Wembanyama gave NBA fans a good reminder not to overreact to Las Vegas Summer League after the San Antonio Spurs selected him at No. 1 overall in the 2023 NBA Draft. Wembanyama’s summer league debut was a dud as he finished with nine points on 2-of-13 shooting from the field. It’s safe to say Wemby’s career would turn out just fine after he led the Spurs to the NBA Finals in his third season at age-22.

Still, it’s hard to shake a bad first impression for rookies entering the league. Fans want to think their new players are bound to be stars, or at least dependable role players. When rookies disappoint in summer league, it’s still a bummer even it means basically nothing for the long-term outlook of their career.

Here are the rookies who have underwhelmed in summer league so far. If nothing else, it will be helpful to look back on this list if and when these players become solid contributors to show future rookies that a bad start to summer league isn’t that big of a deal.

Aday Mara, C, Oklahoma City Thunder

Mara was arguably the biggest winner of March Madness, going from a player typically projected in the mid-20s to a surefire lottery pick after Michigan’s national championship run. The Thunder selected him at No. 12 overall, and his rim protection plus high-level passing ability felt like a natural fit for their system. I was on the Mara bandwagon in the predraft process, but during my conversations with front office people and other writers I started to notice that he was perhaps the most polarizing player in the class. Some people viewed him as a low ceiling center who should be a fringe first-round pick, while others had him in the top-10.

Mara has struggled a bit away from Michigan’s amazing infrastructure at the start of his summer league run. He’s only shot 46 percent from the field through his first four games, which is pretty underwhelming for a 7’3 guy. His touch has looked shaky around the rim, and there are moments of passivity defensively. There are positive flashes on the tape too of course, like this overpowering drive and dunk, and some of his signature passing to cutters on the move. I do think it’s fair to question Mara’s scoring utility if he struggles to get deep post position because of a high center of gravity, and there’s no doubt he has to earn his early minutes on the defensive end. I’m not worried, but the Mara skeptics have a little more ammunition after this summer league run.

Dailyn Swain, G, Chicago Bulls

I had a front row seat at the NBA Draft Combine scrimmages, and was surprised to see Dailyn Swain on the court. The combine scrimmages are typically only for fringe draft picks, and by this point Swain had already solidified himself as a mid first-rounder. Even more surprising was that Swain did not play particularly well in a setting where he should have been the best player on the floor, showing a slow and hitchy release on his jumper and looking a bit lost offensively. The Bulls were undeterred and selected Swain at No. 15, but his struggles have continued through his first couple games in summer league.

Swain shot 3-of-10 from the floor in Chicago’s opener in Las Vegas, then shot 0-of-9 from the floor in his second game and 0-of-7 from the floor in the third game. The Bulls have indicated that they see him as a ball handler long-term, but he’s clearly struggled to handle against pressure thus far. That would be less of an issue if Swain had a reliable off-ball game, but right now his jumper looks as broken as ever. The Bulls did Swain no favors with this roster construction, failing to put a dependable point guard next to him that could handle against ball pressure and get him some easier shots. Instead, Swain has admitted he’s overthinking every move on the court. There have been some flashes of the downhill driving that popped this past season at Texas, but for now it’s clear Swain isn’t a point guard and needs to put plenty of work in on fixing his jumper.

Darius Acuff, G, Sacramento Kings

Acuff had a legendary scoring season at Arkansas, but sharp scouts noticed concerns with process on both ends of the floor. The point guard’s shot profile was pretty mid-range heavy, and while his three-point shooting numbers were excellent in the small college sample, they were more concerning if you include the high school data. Acuff’s real questions came on the defensive end, where he didn’t show much effort in addition to having poor tools. These concerns have continued in summer league, where Acuff has posted underwhelming scoring efficiency and ghastly defensive tape while still showing the talent that made him a certain lottery pick.

Acuff hasn’t done anything to show that his NBA defense will be better than the level he showed in college. So far, lazy closeouts, spacey off-ball defense, and a lack of hustle have been all over the tape. It often feels like he’s not actively engaged in the game when his team doesn’t have the ball. There’s going to be a high bar to meet offensively for a guard who is this poor on defense, and Acuff hasn’t been close to it yet. He’s scored 78 points on 82 shots through four games. His decision-making hasn’t been great as a passer either with 18 assists to 14 turnovers. I was way low on Acuff on my mid-season board before he started to win me over by consistently delivering in big games at Arkansas. Will the Kings ever play in any big games while he’s on the team? I hope so, because that fanbase deserves better.

Keaton Wagler, G, Los Angeles Clippers

Wagler hasn’t made anything look easy in summer league. The No. 5 pick has struggled to create separation off the dribble, he hasn’t been a plus with his playmaking, and he’s basically a non-factor on the glass. Wagler’s 8.2 PER is the worst of any top-10 pick through two summer league games despite getting hot in the second half against Utah in his second game. The athletic concerns entering the draft appear to be valid for now. Wagler just doesn’t have a lot of burst as a ball handler, and even some of his effective drives have been pretty ugly. He got dusted by Darryn Peterson on a couple occasions, including on the No. 2 pick’s poster slam where he struggled to get under a screen. With five assists and four turnovers, he looks better suited for shooting guard than point guard at the moment. Wagler has admitted that leaving Illinois’ five-out system has been challenging, and I suspected that would be the case entering the draft. Wagler is naturally going to add muscle to his thin frame as he goes on in the league, and being in an NBA strength and conditioning program should be very good for him long-term. The Clippers can give him both on-ball and off-ball reps this year, and that should be good for his development. When the off-the-dribble shot-making is falling, Wagler looks terrific. He’s far from a finished product, but Clippers fans should still be feeling encouraged long-term.

Christian Anderson, G, Charlotte Hornets

Anderson should have a shot to be Coby White’s backup as a rookie after the Hornets traded LaMelo Ball, but he’s looked pretty far away from being a real contributor during his summer league run. Through three games, Anderson has been unable to catch a rhythm with his shot while struggling with turnovers and not doing much on the defensive end. Anderson had a reputation as one of the draft’s best shooters, but his inability to play to contact inside the arc means he’s settling for a lot of tough pull-up threes right now, which has hurt his scoring efficiency (43.2 percent true shooting). I liked his live-dribble passing at Texas Tech, but the passing windows haven’t been there yet, and it’s resulted in a 6.7 percent assist rate compared to a 20.1 percent turnover rate. Anderson isn’t too big or too athletic, so it’s hard to expect him to be a monster driving to the rim. That means he’s likely going to have to live off tough shots. It’s a good thing the Hornets are one of the best offensive rebounding teams around.

Nate Ament, F, Milwaukee Bucks

While Brayden Burries has been arguably the most impressive rookie at summer league thus far, the Bucks’ other lottery pick Nate Ament hasn’t looked very assertive or effective. Ament has only scored 21 points in 65 minutes, and just doesn’t seem very comfortable getting into his shot yet. He knocked down a couple threes against the Suns, and focusing on spacing the floor and making an impact on defense is probably his best path forward early in his career. Ament has the frame to be a good defender in time, but he’s just not there yet. His awareness is pretty poor right now, and he can struggle with physicality. As long as Ament is a good three-point shooter, he’ll have some immediate utility on offense, and his defense should improve in time as the Bucks continue to beef him up. Until then, just enjoy the Brayden Burries show, Bucks fans.

#NBA #Summer #League #rookies #struggling #live #hype

By breakfast, the World Cup semifinal had already begun. Hotel lobbies, elevators and street corners around downtown had become meeting points for two of football’s most passionate travelling nations. Argentinians, draped in sky blue and white, cradled their morning mate long before the first beer found its way into their hands. England supporters, wrapped in the white of the Three Lions, preferred to begin the day at the nearest pub, where breakfast arrived mostly in liquid form.

They exchanged smiles, songs and the occasional jab, but beneath the banter was the unmistakable tension that only England against Argentina can summon. This was never just another World Cup semifinal. It was a rivalry that had travelled from Antonio Rattín to Diego Maradona, from David Beckham to Lionel Messi, and was now in Atlanta for the latest battle.

Match Report –Argentina beats England to reach final

Argentina appeared to understand the emotional assignment from the opening whistle. There was an extra spring in every stride and greater force in every collision. Its players clattered into challenges, chased lost causes and celebrated tackles.

More than four decades have passed since the Falklands War, but in Argentina, the islands remain Las Malvinas, part of a national wound that has never completely healed. The 1982 conflict lasted from April 2 to June 14 and ended with Argentina’s surrender. Six hundred and forty-nine Argentine servicemen, 255 British personnel and three civilians were killed.

The dispute has endured across politics, public memory and football. For many Argentinians, an encounter with England cannot be separated entirely from the young men who left for the South Atlantic and never returned.

Maradona understood that instinctively. Four years after the war, he scored twice against England at the Azteca, first with the Hand of God and then with perhaps the greatest goal the World Cup has ever witnessed. Maradona would later describe the victory as revenge. For Argentina, those four minutes in 1986 are more than sporting history. They became part of the country’s mythology.

Malvinas, Maradona and Messi: Argentina draws strength from past and present to defeat England By breakfast, the World Cup semifinal had already begun. Hotel lobbies, elevators and street corners around downtown had become meeting points for two of football’s most passionate travelling nations. Argentinians, draped in sky blue and white, cradled their morning mate long before the first beer found its way into their hands. England supporters, wrapped in the white of the Three Lions, preferred to begin the day at the nearest pub, where breakfast arrived mostly in liquid form.They exchanged smiles, songs and the occasional jab, but beneath the banter was the unmistakable tension that only England against Argentina can summon. This was never just another World Cup semifinal. It was a rivalry that had travelled from Antonio Rattín to Diego Maradona, from David Beckham to Lionel Messi, and was now in Atlanta for the latest battle.Match Report –Argentina beats England to reach finalArgentina appeared to understand the emotional assignment from the opening whistle. There was an extra spring in every stride and greater force in every collision. Its players clattered into challenges, chased lost causes and celebrated tackles.More than four decades have passed since the Falklands War, but in Argentina, the islands remain Las Malvinas, part of a national wound that has never completely healed. The 1982 conflict lasted from April 2 to June 14 and ended with Argentina’s surrender. Six hundred and forty-nine Argentine servicemen, 255 British personnel and three civilians were killed.The dispute has endured across politics, public memory and football. For many Argentinians, an encounter with England cannot be separated entirely from the young men who left for the South Atlantic and never returned.Maradona understood that instinctively. Four years after the war, he scored twice against England at the Azteca, first with the Hand of God and then with perhaps the greatest goal the World Cup has ever witnessed. Maradona would later describe the victory as revenge. For Argentina, those four minutes in 1986 are more than sporting history. They became part of the country’s mythology. Maradona gave Argentina one of football’s defining moments. Messi ensured the story would continue, not as a replay but as another chapter. | Photo Credit: REUTERS Maradona gave Argentina one of football’s defining moments. Messi ensured the story would continue, not as a replay but as another chapter. | Photo Credit: REUTERS Maradona’s image has appeared across stadiums in the United States, along with those of Messi, the heir who eventually delivered the trophy Diego had once lifted. His name has been sung from Dallas to Atlanta, invoked not as a distant memory but as a continuing presence.After Argentina’s dramatic victory over Egypt in the round of 16, the players sang and danced in their dressing room to La Cuarta Estrella (The Fourth Star), the anthem that has followed the team through its title defence.“I’m Argentine from the cradle to the grave,For Malvinas, for Diego, for Leo’s last one,Argentina, I want to see you become champions again.”The words place the Malvinas, Maradona and Messi within the same national story, where sacrifice, memory and football are intertwined.On Wednesday, Argentina played as though it all still mattered.And when the victory was finally secured, there was a connection between the past and present. Giovani Lo Celso and Nicolas Otamendi unfurled a banner reading: “ Las Malvinas son Argentinas”, or “The Malvinas (Falkland Islands) are Argentine.”It was neither an incidental gesture nor an improvised celebration. It was a message delivered after England was defeated again.Long after the final whistle, Argentina’s players and supporters remained united in celebration. The team stood facing the sky-blue-and-white end, singing and dancing with those who had followed it across cities, time zones and thousands of miles. Players drifted towards the tunnel only to return, lured back by another chorus from the stands.For Argentina, England has never been just another opponent. Forty-four years after the Falklands War and four decades after Maradona transformed this rivalry forever, another generation had carried that history into another World Cup final.Published on Jul 16, 2026 #Malvinas #Maradona #Messi #Argentina #draws #strength #present #defeat #England

Maradona gave Argentina one of football’s defining moments. Messi ensured the story would continue, not as a replay but as another chapter. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

lightbox-info

Maradona gave Argentina one of football’s defining moments. Messi ensured the story would continue, not as a replay but as another chapter. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Maradona’s image has appeared across stadiums in the United States, along with those of Messi, the heir who eventually delivered the trophy Diego had once lifted. His name has been sung from Dallas to Atlanta, invoked not as a distant memory but as a continuing presence.

After Argentina’s dramatic victory over Egypt in the round of 16, the players sang and danced in their dressing room to La Cuarta Estrella (The Fourth Star), the anthem that has followed the team through its title defence.

“I’m Argentine from the cradle to the grave,

For Malvinas, for Diego, for Leo’s last one,

Argentina, I want to see you become champions again.”

The words place the Malvinas, Maradona and Messi within the same national story, where sacrifice, memory and football are intertwined.

On Wednesday, Argentina played as though it all still mattered.

And when the victory was finally secured, there was a connection between the past and present. Giovani Lo Celso and Nicolas Otamendi unfurled a banner reading: “ Las Malvinas son Argentinas”, or “The Malvinas (Falkland Islands) are Argentine.”

It was neither an incidental gesture nor an improvised celebration. It was a message delivered after England was defeated again.

Long after the final whistle, Argentina’s players and supporters remained united in celebration. The team stood facing the sky-blue-and-white end, singing and dancing with those who had followed it across cities, time zones and thousands of miles. Players drifted towards the tunnel only to return, lured back by another chorus from the stands.

For Argentina, England has never been just another opponent. Forty-four years after the Falklands War and four decades after Maradona transformed this rivalry forever, another generation had carried that history into another World Cup final.

Published on Jul 16, 2026

#Malvinas #Maradona #Messi #Argentina #draws #strength #present #defeat #England">Malvinas, Maradona and Messi: Argentina draws strength from past and present to defeat England By breakfast, the World Cup semifinal had already begun. Hotel lobbies, elevators and street corners around downtown had become meeting points for two of football’s most passionate travelling nations. Argentinians, draped in sky blue and white, cradled their morning mate long before the first beer found its way into their hands. England supporters, wrapped in the white of the Three Lions, preferred to begin the day at the nearest pub, where breakfast arrived mostly in liquid form.They exchanged smiles, songs and the occasional jab, but beneath the banter was the unmistakable tension that only England against Argentina can summon. This was never just another World Cup semifinal. It was a rivalry that had travelled from Antonio Rattín to Diego Maradona, from David Beckham to Lionel Messi, and was now in Atlanta for the latest battle.Match Report –Argentina beats England to reach finalArgentina appeared to understand the emotional assignment from the opening whistle. There was an extra spring in every stride and greater force in every collision. Its players clattered into challenges, chased lost causes and celebrated tackles.More than four decades have passed since the Falklands War, but in Argentina, the islands remain Las Malvinas, part of a national wound that has never completely healed. The 1982 conflict lasted from April 2 to June 14 and ended with Argentina’s surrender. Six hundred and forty-nine Argentine servicemen, 255 British personnel and three civilians were killed.The dispute has endured across politics, public memory and football. For many Argentinians, an encounter with England cannot be separated entirely from the young men who left for the South Atlantic and never returned.Maradona understood that instinctively. Four years after the war, he scored twice against England at the Azteca, first with the Hand of God and then with perhaps the greatest goal the World Cup has ever witnessed. Maradona would later describe the victory as revenge. For Argentina, those four minutes in 1986 are more than sporting history. They became part of the country’s mythology. Maradona gave Argentina one of football’s defining moments. Messi ensured the story would continue, not as a replay but as another chapter. | Photo Credit: REUTERS Maradona gave Argentina one of football’s defining moments. Messi ensured the story would continue, not as a replay but as another chapter. | Photo Credit: REUTERS Maradona’s image has appeared across stadiums in the United States, along with those of Messi, the heir who eventually delivered the trophy Diego had once lifted. His name has been sung from Dallas to Atlanta, invoked not as a distant memory but as a continuing presence.After Argentina’s dramatic victory over Egypt in the round of 16, the players sang and danced in their dressing room to La Cuarta Estrella (The Fourth Star), the anthem that has followed the team through its title defence.“I’m Argentine from the cradle to the grave,For Malvinas, for Diego, for Leo’s last one,Argentina, I want to see you become champions again.”The words place the Malvinas, Maradona and Messi within the same national story, where sacrifice, memory and football are intertwined.On Wednesday, Argentina played as though it all still mattered.And when the victory was finally secured, there was a connection between the past and present. Giovani Lo Celso and Nicolas Otamendi unfurled a banner reading: “ Las Malvinas son Argentinas”, or “The Malvinas (Falkland Islands) are Argentine.”It was neither an incidental gesture nor an improvised celebration. It was a message delivered after England was defeated again.Long after the final whistle, Argentina’s players and supporters remained united in celebration. The team stood facing the sky-blue-and-white end, singing and dancing with those who had followed it across cities, time zones and thousands of miles. Players drifted towards the tunnel only to return, lured back by another chorus from the stands.For Argentina, England has never been just another opponent. Forty-four years after the Falklands War and four decades after Maradona transformed this rivalry forever, another generation had carried that history into another World Cup final.Published on Jul 16, 2026 #Malvinas #Maradona #Messi #Argentina #draws #strength #present #defeat #England

Argentina beats England to reach final

Argentina appeared to understand the emotional assignment from the opening whistle. There was an extra spring in every stride and greater force in every collision. Its players clattered into challenges, chased lost causes and celebrated tackles.

More than four decades have passed since the Falklands War, but in Argentina, the islands remain Las Malvinas, part of a national wound that has never completely healed. The 1982 conflict lasted from April 2 to June 14 and ended with Argentina’s surrender. Six hundred and forty-nine Argentine servicemen, 255 British personnel and three civilians were killed.

The dispute has endured across politics, public memory and football. For many Argentinians, an encounter with England cannot be separated entirely from the young men who left for the South Atlantic and never returned.

Maradona understood that instinctively. Four years after the war, he scored twice against England at the Azteca, first with the Hand of God and then with perhaps the greatest goal the World Cup has ever witnessed. Maradona would later describe the victory as revenge. For Argentina, those four minutes in 1986 are more than sporting history. They became part of the country’s mythology.

Malvinas, Maradona and Messi: Argentina draws strength from past and present to defeat England By breakfast, the World Cup semifinal had already begun. Hotel lobbies, elevators and street corners around downtown had become meeting points for two of football’s most passionate travelling nations. Argentinians, draped in sky blue and white, cradled their morning mate long before the first beer found its way into their hands. England supporters, wrapped in the white of the Three Lions, preferred to begin the day at the nearest pub, where breakfast arrived mostly in liquid form.They exchanged smiles, songs and the occasional jab, but beneath the banter was the unmistakable tension that only England against Argentina can summon. This was never just another World Cup semifinal. It was a rivalry that had travelled from Antonio Rattín to Diego Maradona, from David Beckham to Lionel Messi, and was now in Atlanta for the latest battle.Match Report –Argentina beats England to reach finalArgentina appeared to understand the emotional assignment from the opening whistle. There was an extra spring in every stride and greater force in every collision. Its players clattered into challenges, chased lost causes and celebrated tackles.More than four decades have passed since the Falklands War, but in Argentina, the islands remain Las Malvinas, part of a national wound that has never completely healed. The 1982 conflict lasted from April 2 to June 14 and ended with Argentina’s surrender. Six hundred and forty-nine Argentine servicemen, 255 British personnel and three civilians were killed.The dispute has endured across politics, public memory and football. For many Argentinians, an encounter with England cannot be separated entirely from the young men who left for the South Atlantic and never returned.Maradona understood that instinctively. Four years after the war, he scored twice against England at the Azteca, first with the Hand of God and then with perhaps the greatest goal the World Cup has ever witnessed. Maradona would later describe the victory as revenge. For Argentina, those four minutes in 1986 are more than sporting history. They became part of the country’s mythology. Maradona gave Argentina one of football’s defining moments. Messi ensured the story would continue, not as a replay but as another chapter. | Photo Credit: REUTERS Maradona gave Argentina one of football’s defining moments. Messi ensured the story would continue, not as a replay but as another chapter. | Photo Credit: REUTERS Maradona’s image has appeared across stadiums in the United States, along with those of Messi, the heir who eventually delivered the trophy Diego had once lifted. His name has been sung from Dallas to Atlanta, invoked not as a distant memory but as a continuing presence.After Argentina’s dramatic victory over Egypt in the round of 16, the players sang and danced in their dressing room to La Cuarta Estrella (The Fourth Star), the anthem that has followed the team through its title defence.“I’m Argentine from the cradle to the grave,For Malvinas, for Diego, for Leo’s last one,Argentina, I want to see you become champions again.”The words place the Malvinas, Maradona and Messi within the same national story, where sacrifice, memory and football are intertwined.On Wednesday, Argentina played as though it all still mattered.And when the victory was finally secured, there was a connection between the past and present. Giovani Lo Celso and Nicolas Otamendi unfurled a banner reading: “ Las Malvinas son Argentinas”, or “The Malvinas (Falkland Islands) are Argentine.”It was neither an incidental gesture nor an improvised celebration. It was a message delivered after England was defeated again.Long after the final whistle, Argentina’s players and supporters remained united in celebration. The team stood facing the sky-blue-and-white end, singing and dancing with those who had followed it across cities, time zones and thousands of miles. Players drifted towards the tunnel only to return, lured back by another chorus from the stands.For Argentina, England has never been just another opponent. Forty-four years after the Falklands War and four decades after Maradona transformed this rivalry forever, another generation had carried that history into another World Cup final.Published on Jul 16, 2026 #Malvinas #Maradona #Messi #Argentina #draws #strength #present #defeat #England

Maradona gave Argentina one of football’s defining moments. Messi ensured the story would continue, not as a replay but as another chapter. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

lightbox-info

Maradona gave Argentina one of football’s defining moments. Messi ensured the story would continue, not as a replay but as another chapter. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Maradona’s image has appeared across stadiums in the United States, along with those of Messi, the heir who eventually delivered the trophy Diego had once lifted. His name has been sung from Dallas to Atlanta, invoked not as a distant memory but as a continuing presence.

After Argentina’s dramatic victory over Egypt in the round of 16, the players sang and danced in their dressing room to La Cuarta Estrella (The Fourth Star), the anthem that has followed the team through its title defence.

“I’m Argentine from the cradle to the grave,

For Malvinas, for Diego, for Leo’s last one,

Argentina, I want to see you become champions again.”

The words place the Malvinas, Maradona and Messi within the same national story, where sacrifice, memory and football are intertwined.

On Wednesday, Argentina played as though it all still mattered.

And when the victory was finally secured, there was a connection between the past and present. Giovani Lo Celso and Nicolas Otamendi unfurled a banner reading: “ Las Malvinas son Argentinas”, or “The Malvinas (Falkland Islands) are Argentine.”

It was neither an incidental gesture nor an improvised celebration. It was a message delivered after England was defeated again.

Long after the final whistle, Argentina’s players and supporters remained united in celebration. The team stood facing the sky-blue-and-white end, singing and dancing with those who had followed it across cities, time zones and thousands of miles. Players drifted towards the tunnel only to return, lured back by another chorus from the stands.

For Argentina, England has never been just another opponent. Forty-four years after the Falklands War and four decades after Maradona transformed this rivalry forever, another generation had carried that history into another World Cup final.

Published on Jul 16, 2026

#Malvinas #Maradona #Messi #Argentina #draws #strength #present #defeat #England">Malvinas, Maradona and Messi: Argentina draws strength from past and present to defeat England

By breakfast, the World Cup semifinal had already begun. Hotel lobbies, elevators and street corners around downtown had become meeting points for two of football’s most passionate travelling nations. Argentinians, draped in sky blue and white, cradled their morning mate long before the first beer found its way into their hands. England supporters, wrapped in the white of the Three Lions, preferred to begin the day at the nearest pub, where breakfast arrived mostly in liquid form.

They exchanged smiles, songs and the occasional jab, but beneath the banter was the unmistakable tension that only England against Argentina can summon. This was never just another World Cup semifinal. It was a rivalry that had travelled from Antonio Rattín to Diego Maradona, from David Beckham to Lionel Messi, and was now in Atlanta for the latest battle.

Match Report –Argentina beats England to reach final

Argentina appeared to understand the emotional assignment from the opening whistle. There was an extra spring in every stride and greater force in every collision. Its players clattered into challenges, chased lost causes and celebrated tackles.

More than four decades have passed since the Falklands War, but in Argentina, the islands remain Las Malvinas, part of a national wound that has never completely healed. The 1982 conflict lasted from April 2 to June 14 and ended with Argentina’s surrender. Six hundred and forty-nine Argentine servicemen, 255 British personnel and three civilians were killed.

The dispute has endured across politics, public memory and football. For many Argentinians, an encounter with England cannot be separated entirely from the young men who left for the South Atlantic and never returned.

Maradona understood that instinctively. Four years after the war, he scored twice against England at the Azteca, first with the Hand of God and then with perhaps the greatest goal the World Cup has ever witnessed. Maradona would later describe the victory as revenge. For Argentina, those four minutes in 1986 are more than sporting history. They became part of the country’s mythology.

Malvinas, Maradona and Messi: Argentina draws strength from past and present to defeat England By breakfast, the World Cup semifinal had already begun. Hotel lobbies, elevators and street corners around downtown had become meeting points for two of football’s most passionate travelling nations. Argentinians, draped in sky blue and white, cradled their morning mate long before the first beer found its way into their hands. England supporters, wrapped in the white of the Three Lions, preferred to begin the day at the nearest pub, where breakfast arrived mostly in liquid form.They exchanged smiles, songs and the occasional jab, but beneath the banter was the unmistakable tension that only England against Argentina can summon. This was never just another World Cup semifinal. It was a rivalry that had travelled from Antonio Rattín to Diego Maradona, from David Beckham to Lionel Messi, and was now in Atlanta for the latest battle.Match Report –Argentina beats England to reach finalArgentina appeared to understand the emotional assignment from the opening whistle. There was an extra spring in every stride and greater force in every collision. Its players clattered into challenges, chased lost causes and celebrated tackles.More than four decades have passed since the Falklands War, but in Argentina, the islands remain Las Malvinas, part of a national wound that has never completely healed. The 1982 conflict lasted from April 2 to June 14 and ended with Argentina’s surrender. Six hundred and forty-nine Argentine servicemen, 255 British personnel and three civilians were killed.The dispute has endured across politics, public memory and football. For many Argentinians, an encounter with England cannot be separated entirely from the young men who left for the South Atlantic and never returned.Maradona understood that instinctively. Four years after the war, he scored twice against England at the Azteca, first with the Hand of God and then with perhaps the greatest goal the World Cup has ever witnessed. Maradona would later describe the victory as revenge. For Argentina, those four minutes in 1986 are more than sporting history. They became part of the country’s mythology. Maradona gave Argentina one of football’s defining moments. Messi ensured the story would continue, not as a replay but as another chapter. | Photo Credit: REUTERS Maradona gave Argentina one of football’s defining moments. Messi ensured the story would continue, not as a replay but as another chapter. | Photo Credit: REUTERS Maradona’s image has appeared across stadiums in the United States, along with those of Messi, the heir who eventually delivered the trophy Diego had once lifted. His name has been sung from Dallas to Atlanta, invoked not as a distant memory but as a continuing presence.After Argentina’s dramatic victory over Egypt in the round of 16, the players sang and danced in their dressing room to La Cuarta Estrella (The Fourth Star), the anthem that has followed the team through its title defence.“I’m Argentine from the cradle to the grave,For Malvinas, for Diego, for Leo’s last one,Argentina, I want to see you become champions again.”The words place the Malvinas, Maradona and Messi within the same national story, where sacrifice, memory and football are intertwined.On Wednesday, Argentina played as though it all still mattered.And when the victory was finally secured, there was a connection between the past and present. Giovani Lo Celso and Nicolas Otamendi unfurled a banner reading: “ Las Malvinas son Argentinas”, or “The Malvinas (Falkland Islands) are Argentine.”It was neither an incidental gesture nor an improvised celebration. It was a message delivered after England was defeated again.Long after the final whistle, Argentina’s players and supporters remained united in celebration. The team stood facing the sky-blue-and-white end, singing and dancing with those who had followed it across cities, time zones and thousands of miles. Players drifted towards the tunnel only to return, lured back by another chorus from the stands.For Argentina, England has never been just another opponent. Forty-four years after the Falklands War and four decades after Maradona transformed this rivalry forever, another generation had carried that history into another World Cup final.Published on Jul 16, 2026 #Malvinas #Maradona #Messi #Argentina #draws #strength #present #defeat #England

Maradona gave Argentina one of football’s defining moments. Messi ensured the story would continue, not as a replay but as another chapter. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

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Maradona gave Argentina one of football’s defining moments. Messi ensured the story would continue, not as a replay but as another chapter. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Maradona’s image has appeared across stadiums in the United States, along with those of Messi, the heir who eventually delivered the trophy Diego had once lifted. His name has been sung from Dallas to Atlanta, invoked not as a distant memory but as a continuing presence.

After Argentina’s dramatic victory over Egypt in the round of 16, the players sang and danced in their dressing room to La Cuarta Estrella (The Fourth Star), the anthem that has followed the team through its title defence.

“I’m Argentine from the cradle to the grave,

For Malvinas, for Diego, for Leo’s last one,

Argentina, I want to see you become champions again.”

The words place the Malvinas, Maradona and Messi within the same national story, where sacrifice, memory and football are intertwined.

On Wednesday, Argentina played as though it all still mattered.

And when the victory was finally secured, there was a connection between the past and present. Giovani Lo Celso and Nicolas Otamendi unfurled a banner reading: “ Las Malvinas son Argentinas”, or “The Malvinas (Falkland Islands) are Argentine.”

It was neither an incidental gesture nor an improvised celebration. It was a message delivered after England was defeated again.

Long after the final whistle, Argentina’s players and supporters remained united in celebration. The team stood facing the sky-blue-and-white end, singing and dancing with those who had followed it across cities, time zones and thousands of miles. Players drifted towards the tunnel only to return, lured back by another chorus from the stands.

For Argentina, England has never been just another opponent. Forty-four years after the Falklands War and four decades after Maradona transformed this rivalry forever, another generation had carried that history into another World Cup final.

Published on Jul 16, 2026

#Malvinas #Maradona #Messi #Argentina #draws #strength #present #defeat #England

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