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Deadspin | LIV Golf officially postpones New Orleans event from June Apr 6, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; The LIV Golf logo is on display along the 10th hole during the second round of LIV Golf Miami golf tournament at Trump National Doral. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images LIV Golf and the state of Louisiana have postponed the league’s golf event in New Orleans that was slated for June but left the door open for a different version of the tournament later this year. The official announcement Tuesday came one day after reports emerged that LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil and Secretary of Louisiana Economic Development Susan Bourgeois agreed to postpone the event in the wake of reports that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund was preparing to pull funding from LIV. “Secretary Bourgeois spoke with LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil on Friday and was informed that the organization seeks to postpone its June 2026 event in New Orleans to explore a potential event this fall,” Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry said in a statement Tuesday. Landry’s statement confirmed Monday’s reports that Louisiana has so far paid .2 million of a million agreement. LIV “is expected to return all state incentive funds” totaling .2 million; the other million was spent on improvements to the golf course, Bayou Oaks in City Park. “We appreciate LIV’s good-faith efforts and look forward to maintaining our partnership as we continue conversations around an event later this year,” Landry said. “We are grateful for the work of our local partners and the collaboration that supported this effort.” LIV Golf Louisiana was slated for June 25-28, and in the near term, its postponement leaves a gap on the 2026 schedule between LIV Golf Andalucia in Spain (June 4-7) and LIV Golf UK (July 23-26). It also marks the first canceled or postponed tournament since it was reported earlier this month that the Saudi Arabia PIF planned to end its funding for the league it helped launch in 2022. LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil had promised employees in an email that the league was safe and the current season would go “exactly as planned, uninterrupted and at full throttle.” NOLA.com reported Monday that LIV was exploring a smaller, “exposition-style” event in New Orleans in the fall. The league’s team championship in late August is the last event currently scheduled, with the LIV Golf Louisiana event now listed at the bottom of the website’s schedule page without a date. Field Level Media has reached out to LIV Golf for comment. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #LIV #Golf #officially #postpones #Orleans #event #June

Deadspin | LIV Golf officially postpones New Orleans event from June
Deadspin | LIV Golf officially postpones New Orleans event from June Apr 6, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; The LIV Golf logo is on display along the 10th hole during the second round of LIV Golf Miami golf tournament at Trump National Doral. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images LIV Golf and the state of Louisiana have postponed the league’s golf event in New Orleans that was slated for June but left the door open for a different version of the tournament later this year. The official announcement Tuesday came one day after reports emerged that LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil and Secretary of Louisiana Economic Development Susan Bourgeois agreed to postpone the event in the wake of reports that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund was preparing to pull funding from LIV. “Secretary Bourgeois spoke with LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil on Friday and was informed that the organization seeks to postpone its June 2026 event in New Orleans to explore a potential event this fall,” Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry said in a statement Tuesday. Landry’s statement confirmed Monday’s reports that Louisiana has so far paid .2 million of a million agreement. LIV “is expected to return all state incentive funds” totaling .2 million; the other million was spent on improvements to the golf course, Bayou Oaks in City Park. “We appreciate LIV’s good-faith efforts and look forward to maintaining our partnership as we continue conversations around an event later this year,” Landry said. “We are grateful for the work of our local partners and the collaboration that supported this effort.” LIV Golf Louisiana was slated for June 25-28, and in the near term, its postponement leaves a gap on the 2026 schedule between LIV Golf Andalucia in Spain (June 4-7) and LIV Golf UK (July 23-26). It also marks the first canceled or postponed tournament since it was reported earlier this month that the Saudi Arabia PIF planned to end its funding for the league it helped launch in 2022. LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil had promised employees in an email that the league was safe and the current season would go “exactly as planned, uninterrupted and at full throttle.” NOLA.com reported Monday that LIV was exploring a smaller, “exposition-style” event in New Orleans in the fall. The league’s team championship in late August is the last event currently scheduled, with the LIV Golf Louisiana event now listed at the bottom of the website’s schedule page without a date. Field Level Media has reached out to LIV Golf for comment. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #LIV #Golf #officially #postpones #Orleans #event #JuneApr 6, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; The LIV Golf logo is on display along the 10th hole during the second round of LIV Golf Miami golf tournament at Trump National Doral. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images

LIV Golf and the state of Louisiana have postponed the league’s golf event in New Orleans that was slated for June but left the door open for a different version of the tournament later this year.

The official announcement Tuesday came one day after reports emerged that LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil and Secretary of Louisiana Economic Development Susan Bourgeois agreed to postpone the event in the wake of reports that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund was preparing to pull funding from LIV.

“Secretary Bourgeois spoke with LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil on Friday and was informed that the organization seeks to postpone its June 2026 event in New Orleans to explore a potential event this fall,” Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry said in a statement Tuesday.

Landry’s statement confirmed Monday’s reports that Louisiana has so far paid $3.2 million of a $7 million agreement. LIV “is expected to return all state incentive funds” totaling $1.2 million; the other $2 million was spent on improvements to the golf course, Bayou Oaks in City Park.

“We appreciate LIV’s good-faith efforts and look forward to maintaining our partnership as we continue conversations around an event later this year,” Landry said. “We are grateful for the work of our local partners and the collaboration that supported this effort.”


LIV Golf Louisiana was slated for June 25-28, and in the near term, its postponement leaves a gap on the 2026 schedule between LIV Golf Andalucia in Spain (June 4-7) and LIV Golf UK (July 23-26).

It also marks the first canceled or postponed tournament since it was reported earlier this month that the Saudi Arabia PIF planned to end its funding for the league it helped launch in 2022.

LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil had promised employees in an email that the league was safe and the current season would go “exactly as planned, uninterrupted and at full throttle.”

NOLA.com reported Monday that LIV was exploring a smaller, “exposition-style” event in New Orleans in the fall. The league’s team championship in late August is the last event currently scheduled, with the LIV Golf Louisiana event now listed at the bottom of the website’s schedule page without a date.

Field Level Media has reached out to LIV Golf for comment.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #LIV #Golf #officially #postpones #Orleans #event #June

Sports news

Apr 6, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; The LIV Golf logo is on display along the 10th hole during the second round of LIV Golf Miami golf tournament at Trump National Doral. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images

LIV Golf and the state of Louisiana have postponed the league’s golf event in New Orleans that was slated for June but left the door open for a different version of the tournament later this year.

The official announcement Tuesday came one day after reports emerged that LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil and Secretary of Louisiana Economic Development Susan Bourgeois agreed to postpone the event in the wake of reports that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund was preparing to pull funding from LIV.

“Secretary Bourgeois spoke with LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil on Friday and was informed that the organization seeks to postpone its June 2026 event in New Orleans to explore a potential event this fall,” Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry said in a statement Tuesday.

Landry’s statement confirmed Monday’s reports that Louisiana has so far paid $3.2 million of a $7 million agreement. LIV “is expected to return all state incentive funds” totaling $1.2 million; the other $2 million was spent on improvements to the golf course, Bayou Oaks in City Park.

“We appreciate LIV’s good-faith efforts and look forward to maintaining our partnership as we continue conversations around an event later this year,” Landry said. “We are grateful for the work of our local partners and the collaboration that supported this effort.”

LIV Golf Louisiana was slated for June 25-28, and in the near term, its postponement leaves a gap on the 2026 schedule between LIV Golf Andalucia in Spain (June 4-7) and LIV Golf UK (July 23-26).

It also marks the first canceled or postponed tournament since it was reported earlier this month that the Saudi Arabia PIF planned to end its funding for the league it helped launch in 2022.

LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil had promised employees in an email that the league was safe and the current season would go “exactly as planned, uninterrupted and at full throttle.”

NOLA.com reported Monday that LIV was exploring a smaller, “exposition-style” event in New Orleans in the fall. The league’s team championship in late August is the last event currently scheduled, with the LIV Golf Louisiana event now listed at the bottom of the website’s schedule page without a date.

Field Level Media has reached out to LIV Golf for comment.

–Field Level Media

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#Deadspin #LIV #Golf #officially #postpones #Orleans #event #June

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Wordle today: The answer and hints for April 29, 2026<div id="article"> <p>Today’s <a href="https://mashable.com/category/wordle" target="_self" data-ga-click="1" data-ga-label="$text" data-ga-item="text-link" data-ga-module="content_body"><em>Wordle</em></a> answer should be easy to solve if you’re not a fan of big cities.</p><p>If you just want to be told today’s word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today’s <em>Wordle</em> solution revealed. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.</p><div class="flex mx-auto mt-8 w-full max-w-3xl font-sans text-lg leading-normal md:text-xl md:leading-7"> <span class="font-bold text-primary-400">SEE ALSO:</span> <a href="https://games.mashable.com/" class="flex items-center text-secondary-300"> <span class="ml-1">Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable</span> <svg class="ml-1 w-4 h-4 font-normal fill-current"><use href="http://mashable.com/images/icons/spritemap.svg#sprite-arrow-right-thin"/></svg> </a> </div> <div class="flex mx-auto mt-8 w-full max-w-3xl font-sans text-lg leading-normal md:text-xl md:leading-7"> <span class="font-bold text-primary-400">SEE ALSO:</span> <a href="https://mashable.com/article/nyt-connections-hint-answer-today-april-29-2026" class="flex items-center text-secondary-300"> <span class="ml-1">NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 29, 2026</span> <svg class="ml-1 w-4 h-4 font-normal fill-current"><use href="http://mashable.com/images/icons/spritemap.svg#sprite-arrow-right-thin"/></svg> </a> </div> <h2>Where did Wordle come from?</h2><p>Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/games/wordle/index.html" target="_blank" data-ga-click="1" data-ga-label="$text" data-ga-item="text-link" data-ga-module="content_body" title="(opens in a new window)"><em>Wordle</em></a> rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. <a href="https://mashable.com/article/best-wordle-clones-alternatives" target="_blank" data-ga-click="1" data-ga-label="$text" data-ga-item="text-link" data-ga-module="content_body">Alternate <em>Wordle </em>versions</a> created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale <a href="https://mashable.com/article/wordle-squabble" target="_blank" data-ga-click="1" data-ga-label="$text" data-ga-item="text-link" data-ga-module="content_body"><em>Squabble</em></a>, music identification game <a href="https://mashable.com/article/wordle-heardle-song-music-guessing-game" target="_blank" data-ga-click="1" data-ga-label="$text" data-ga-item="text-link" data-ga-module="content_body"><em>Heardle</em></a>, and variations like <a href="https://mashable.com/article/dordle-double-wordle-game" target="_blank" data-ga-click="1" data-ga-label="$text" data-ga-item="text-link" data-ga-module="content_body"><em>Dordle</em></a> and <a href="https://mashable.com/article/quordle-four-dordle-wordle-game" target="_blank" data-ga-click="1" data-ga-label="$text" data-ga-item="text-link" data-ga-module="content_body"><em>Quordle</em></a> that make you <a href="https://mashable.com/article/wordle-variant-dordle-31-untrigintordle" target="_blank" data-ga-click="1" data-ga-label="$text" data-ga-item="text-link" data-ga-module="content_body">guess multiple words at once</a>. </p><p><em>Wordle</em> eventually became so popular that <a href="https://mashable.com/article/new-york-times-buys-wordle" target="_blank" data-ga-click="1" data-ga-label="$text" data-ga-item="text-link" data-ga-module="content_body">it was purchased by the <em>New York Times</em></a>, and <a href="https://mashable.com/article/wordle-community-loves-tiktok" target="_blank" data-ga-click="1" data-ga-label="$text" data-ga-item="text-link" data-ga-module="content_body">TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing</a>.</p><h2>What’s the best Wordle starting word?</h2><p>The best <em>Wordle </em>starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, <a href="https://mashable.com/article/best-wordle-starting-word" target="_blank" data-ga-click="1" data-ga-label="$text" data-ga-item="text-link" data-ga-module="content_body">we have a few ideas</a> to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.</p><h2>What happened to the Wordle archive?</h2><p><a href="https://mashable.com/article/wordle-archive" target="_blank" data-ga-click="1" data-ga-label="$text" data-ga-item="text-link" data-ga-module="content_body">The entire archive of past <em>Wordle </em>puzzles</a> was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but <a href="https://mashable.com/article/wordle-archive" target="_blank" data-ga-click="1" data-ga-label="$text" data-ga-item="text-link" data-ga-module="content_body">it was later taken down</a>, with the website’s creator stating it was done at the request of the <em>New York Times</em>. However, the <em>New York Times</em> then rolled out <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/games/wordle/archive" target="_blank" data-ga-click="1" data-ga-label="$text" data-ga-item="text-link" data-ga-module="content_body" title="(opens in a new window)">its own Wordle Archive</a>, available only to NYT Games subscribers. </p><h2>Is Wordle getting harder?</h2><p>It might feel like <em>Wordle </em>is getting harder, but <a href="https://mashable.com/article/wordle-harder-new-york-times" target="_blank" data-ga-click="1" data-ga-label="$text" data-ga-item="text-link" data-ga-module="content_body">it actually isn’t any more difficult than when it first began</a>. You can <a href="https://mashable.com/article/wordle-hard-mode" target="_blank" data-ga-click="1" data-ga-label="$text" data-ga-item="text-link" data-ga-module="content_body">turn on <em>Wordle</em>‘s Hard Mode</a> if you’re after more of a challenge, though.</p><div class="flex mx-auto mt-8 w-full max-w-3xl font-sans text-lg leading-normal md:text-xl md:leading-7"> <span class="font-bold text-primary-400">SEE ALSO:</span> <a href="https://mashable.com/article/pips-nyt-games-hints-answers-easy-medium-hard-april-29" class="flex items-center text-secondary-300"> <span class="ml-1">NYT Pips hints, answers for April 29, 2026</span> <svg class="ml-1 w-4 h-4 font-normal fill-current"><use href="http://mashable.com/images/icons/spritemap.svg#sprite-arrow-right-thin"/></svg> </a> </div> <h2>Here’s a subtle hint for today’s Wordle answer:</h2><p>Countryside.</p><section x-data="window.newsletter({ isDeal: false })" x-init="init()" aria-label="Newsletter Sign-Up" class="relative invisible my-12 mx-auto w-full max-w-3xl md:my-16 ziff-component accent-cut-for-gradient-bg accent-cut-border-for-gradient-bg bg-gradient-fuchsia-secondary p-[2px]"> <p> <span class="text-gradient-fuchsia-secondary">Mashable Top Stories</span> </p> </section> <h2>Does today’s Wordle answer have a double letter?</h2><p>The letter R appears twice.</p><p><strong><em>Mashable 101 Fan Fave:</em></strong><em> <a href="https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/8757028/2f364b3d9f89" target="_blank" data-ga-click="1" data-ga-label="$text" data-ga-item="text-link" data-ga-module="content_body" title="(opens in a new window)"><u>Nominate your favorite creators today</u></a></em></p><h2>Today’s Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with…</h2><p>Today’s <em>Wordle</em> starts with the letter R.</p><div class="flex mx-auto mt-8 w-full max-w-3xl font-sans text-lg leading-normal md:text-xl md:leading-7"> <span class="font-bold text-primary-400">SEE ALSO:</span> <a href="https://mashable.com/roundup/best-word-games-for-wordle-fans" class="flex items-center text-secondary-300"> <span class="ml-1">Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL.</span> <svg class="ml-1 w-4 h-4 font-normal fill-current"><use href="http://mashable.com/images/icons/spritemap.svg#sprite-arrow-right-thin"/></svg> </a> </div> <h2>The Wordle answer today is…</h2><p>Get your last guesses in now, because it’s your final chance to solve today’s <em>Wordle</em> before we reveal the solution.</p><p>Drumroll please!</p><p>The solution to today’s <em>Wordle </em>is…</p><p><strong>RURAL</strong></p><p>Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be a new <em>Wordle</em> for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFoe2iA2IHM" target="_blank" data-ga-click="1" data-ga-label="$text" data-ga-item="text-link" data-ga-module="content_body" title="(opens in a new window)">helpful hints</a>. <em>Are you also playing NYT Strands? <a href="https://mashable.com/article/strands-nyt-hint-april-29-2026" target="_self" data-ga-click="1" data-ga-label="$text" data-ga-item="text-link" data-ga-module="content_body">See hints and answers for today’s Strands</a></em><a href="https://mashable.com/article/strands-nyt-hint-april-29-2026" target="_blank" data-ga-click="1" data-ga-label="$text" data-ga-item="text-link" data-ga-module="content_body"><em>.</em></a></p><p><em>Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.</em></p><p><a href="https://games.mashable.com/" target="_self" data-ga-click="1" data-ga-label="$text" data-ga-item="text-link" data-ga-module="content_body"><strong><em>If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now!</em></strong></a><strong><em> Check out our <a href="https://games.mashable.com/" target="_self" data-ga-click="1" data-ga-label="$text" data-ga-item="text-link" data-ga-module="content_body">games hub</a></em></strong><strong><em> for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.</em></strong></p><p><strong>Not the day you’re after? </strong><a href="https://mashable.com/article/wordle-today-answer-april-28-2026" target="_blank">Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Wordle.</a></p> <section class="mx-auto max-w-7xl"> </section> </div>#Wordle #today #answer #hints #April

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CWG Glasgow 2026 LIVE Updates, Day 4: Rishikanta Singh in action at weightlifting; India loses to Namibia in Bowls A look at the Indians in action today… Before the action gets underway, let me quickly take you through the packed schedule today:BOWLS AND PARA BOWLS1:00 PM – Women’s pairs, Section B sectional play: India (Rupa Rani Tirkey and Pinki Singh) vs Namibia (Diana Viljoen and Amanda Steenkamp)7:15 PM – Men’s singles, Section D sectional play: Putul Sonowal vs Shaun Parnis (Malta)10:05 PM – Women’s pairs, Section B sectional play: England (Amy Pharaoh and Sian Honnor) vs India (Rupa Rani Tirkey and Pinki Singh)WEIGHTLIFTING2:15 PM – Men’s 60kg final (medal event): Rishikanta Singh6:45 PM – Women’s 48kg final (medal event): Mirabai Chanu11:15 PM – Men’s 65kg final (medal event): Raja MuthupandiARTISTIC GYMNASTICS4:30 PM – Men’s All-Around Final (medal event): Yogeshwar Singh, Tapan MohantyBOXING10:45 PM – Women’s 54kg, Round of 16: Preeti Pawar vs Deborah Mtenje (Malawi)11:45 PM – Men’s 55kg, Round of 16: Jadumani Singh vs Sumama Rehman (Pakistan)12:45 AM – Men’s 65kg, Round of 16: Aditya Pratap Yadav vs Nuhu Batte (Uganda)SWIMMING AND PARA SWIMMING4:39 PM – Men’s 4x200m freestyle relay heats: India (Srihari Nataraj, Aryan Nehra, Aneesh S. Gowda and Dhakshan Shashikumar)1:56 AM – Men’s 4x200m freestyle relay final (medal event): India – subject to qualification #CWG #Glasgow #LIVE #Updates #Day #Rishikanta #Singh #action #weightlifting #India #loses #Namibia #Bowls

Deadspin | Alejandro Alvarado goal helps San Diego edge Dallas Jul 25, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego FC midfield Alejandro Alvarado (70) scores a goal during the second half against the FC Dallas at Snapdragon Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Abe Arredondo-Imagn Images Alejandro Alvarado scored his first MLS goal in the 50th minute and San Diego FC made it hold up for a 1-0 victory over visiting FC Dallas on Saturday night. CJ dos Santos was called on to make just one save while recording his first shutout of the season for San Diego FC (5-7-5, 20 points). Jonathan Sirois made four saves for Dallas (7-5-5, 26 points) after replacing injured starter Daniel, who had three stops. San Diego FC held possession nearly 70% of the match to improve to 3-0-1 against FC Dallas in their two-season history. Alvarado had the ball from beyond the box early in the second half and unleashed a long right-footed shot into the right corner of the net to break a scoreless tie. Two minutes later, FC Dallas put its only shot on target but Petar Musa’s close-range header was saved by dos Santos. Omni Valakari had a solid chance for San Diego in the 59th minute, but his left-footed shot caromed off the right goalpost. Anderson Julio of Dallas broke in toward the net in hopes of receiving the ball in the 72th minute and dos Santos came out to break up the play. That left Santiago Moreno with an open net to shoot at, but he chipped his right-footed attempt over the net. San Diego almost gifted FC Dallas the tying goal in the third minute of second-half stoppage time. Manu Duah made an errant pass back into the midfield and gave Dallas’ Logan Farrington a chance to dash in toward dos Santos. But Duah sprinted back toward the San Diego net and he was able to get his foot in and block Farrington’s right-footed shot to thwart the opportunity. One minute later, the match was called. San Diego outshot Dallas 19-7 and held an 8-1 edge in shots on target. Dallas lost Daniel after he made a point-black save in the 16th minute on Valakari. Daniel’s right leg bent awkwardly as he stretched to stymie Valakari and he remained down in pain. Trainers eventually helped him walk off the field and Sirois entered as the new goalie in the 19th minute. San Diego outshot Dallas 13-2 in the first half but couldn’t find the back of the net. Marcus Ingvartsen had a big opportunity in the 32nd minute, but his close-range right-footed shot was stopped by Sirois. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Alejandro #Alvarado #goal #helps #San #Diego #edge #DallasJul 25, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego FC midfield Alejandro Alvarado (70) scores a goal during the second half against the FC Dallas at Snapdragon Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Abe Arredondo-Imagn Images

Alejandro Alvarado scored his first MLS goal in the 50th minute and San Diego FC made it hold up for a 1-0 victory over visiting FC Dallas on Saturday night.

CJ dos Santos was called on to make just one save while recording his first shutout of the season for San Diego FC (5-7-5, 20 points).

Jonathan Sirois made four saves for Dallas (7-5-5, 26 points) after replacing injured starter Daniel, who had three stops.

San Diego FC held possession nearly 70% of the match to improve to 3-0-1 against FC Dallas in their two-season history.

Alvarado had the ball from beyond the box early in the second half and unleashed a long right-footed shot into the right corner of the net to break a scoreless tie.

Two minutes later, FC Dallas put its only shot on target but Petar Musa’s close-range header was saved by dos Santos.

Omni Valakari had a solid chance for San Diego in the 59th minute, but his left-footed shot caromed off the right goalpost.

Anderson Julio of Dallas broke in toward the net in hopes of receiving the ball in the 72th minute and dos Santos came out to break up the play. That left Santiago Moreno with an open net to shoot at, but he chipped his right-footed attempt over the net.


San Diego almost gifted FC Dallas the tying goal in the third minute of second-half stoppage time.

Manu Duah made an errant pass back into the midfield and gave Dallas’ Logan Farrington a chance to dash in toward dos Santos. But Duah sprinted back toward the San Diego net and he was able to get his foot in and block Farrington’s right-footed shot to thwart the opportunity.

One minute later, the match was called.

San Diego outshot Dallas 19-7 and held an 8-1 edge in shots on target.

Dallas lost Daniel after he made a point-black save in the 16th minute on Valakari.

Daniel’s right leg bent awkwardly as he stretched to stymie Valakari and he remained down in pain. Trainers eventually helped him walk off the field and Sirois entered as the new goalie in the 19th minute.

San Diego outshot Dallas 13-2 in the first half but couldn’t find the back of the net.

Marcus Ingvartsen had a big opportunity in the 32nd minute, but his close-range right-footed shot was stopped by Sirois.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Alejandro #Alvarado #goal #helps #San #Diego #edge #Dallas">Deadspin | Alejandro Alvarado goal helps San Diego edge Dallas Jul 25, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego FC midfield Alejandro Alvarado (70) scores a goal during the second half against the FC Dallas at Snapdragon Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Abe Arredondo-Imagn Images Alejandro Alvarado scored his first MLS goal in the 50th minute and San Diego FC made it hold up for a 1-0 victory over visiting FC Dallas on Saturday night. CJ dos Santos was called on to make just one save while recording his first shutout of the season for San Diego FC (5-7-5, 20 points). Jonathan Sirois made four saves for Dallas (7-5-5, 26 points) after replacing injured starter Daniel, who had three stops. San Diego FC held possession nearly 70% of the match to improve to 3-0-1 against FC Dallas in their two-season history. Alvarado had the ball from beyond the box early in the second half and unleashed a long right-footed shot into the right corner of the net to break a scoreless tie. Two minutes later, FC Dallas put its only shot on target but Petar Musa’s close-range header was saved by dos Santos. Omni Valakari had a solid chance for San Diego in the 59th minute, but his left-footed shot caromed off the right goalpost. Anderson Julio of Dallas broke in toward the net in hopes of receiving the ball in the 72th minute and dos Santos came out to break up the play. That left Santiago Moreno with an open net to shoot at, but he chipped his right-footed attempt over the net. San Diego almost gifted FC Dallas the tying goal in the third minute of second-half stoppage time. Manu Duah made an errant pass back into the midfield and gave Dallas’ Logan Farrington a chance to dash in toward dos Santos. But Duah sprinted back toward the San Diego net and he was able to get his foot in and block Farrington’s right-footed shot to thwart the opportunity. One minute later, the match was called. San Diego outshot Dallas 19-7 and held an 8-1 edge in shots on target. Dallas lost Daniel after he made a point-black save in the 16th minute on Valakari. Daniel’s right leg bent awkwardly as he stretched to stymie Valakari and he remained down in pain. Trainers eventually helped him walk off the field and Sirois entered as the new goalie in the 19th minute. San Diego outshot Dallas 13-2 in the first half but couldn’t find the back of the net. Marcus Ingvartsen had a big opportunity in the 32nd minute, but his close-range right-footed shot was stopped by Sirois. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Alejandro #Alvarado #goal #helps #San #Diego #edge #Dallas

LeBron James wasn’t lying when he said he didn’t care about money when assessing his options in NBA free agency. Any team in the league could have landed James for essentially the veteran’s minimum if they could make the case that they gave him the best chance to win a fifth championship.

In the end, the Philadelphia 76ers won the LeBron sweepstakes. James is joining a lineup that already includes Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey, V.J. Edgecombe, and Joel Embiid. The bench is pretty strong too with Dean Wade, Anfernee Simons, Labaron Philon, Dominick Barlow, Adem Bona, Justin Edwards, and Ariel Hukporti. I predicted the Sixers were the favorites to sign James last weekend, but it’s still hard to believe it actually happened.

The Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers have to be heartbroken over James’ decision. The Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves must be kicking themselves that they couldn’t make a couple more moves to woo LeBron. Do the Boston Celtics suddenly regret the shocking Jaylen Brown to Philly trade that set LeBron’s decision into motion?

I released by way-too-early NBA power rankings two weeks ago, and now they’re already irrelevant after LeBron’s decision. With the Oklahoma City Thunder also trading Lu Dort to the Atlanta Hawks in a three-team deal, it feels appropriate to refresh the rankings. Here’s our latest power rankings for the 2026-2027 NBA season. One note: this is based on championship chances, not regular season performance. We’ll have more notes on the changes after the table.

Rank

Team

Change

1Oklahoma City Thunder—
2San Antonio Spurs—
3New York Knicks—
4Minnesota Timberwolves—
5Philadelphia 76ersUp 7
6Boston CelticsDown 1
7Los Angeles LakersDown 1
8Denver NuggetsDown 1
9Detroit PistonsDown 1
10Toronto RaptorsDown 1
11Houston RocketsUp 2
12Cleveland CavaliersDown 2
13Indiana PacersDown 2
14Atlanta HawksUp 3
15Miami HeatDown 1
16Orlando MagicDown 1
17Portland Trail BlazersDown 1
18Utah Jazz—
19Phoenix Suns—
20Dallas Mavericks—
21Charlotte Hornets—
22Memphis Grizzlies—
23Golden State Warriors—
24New Orleans Pelicans—
25Brooklyn Nets—
26Los Angeles Clippers—
27Washington Wizards—
28Chicago Bulls—
29Milwaukee Bucks—
30Sacramento Kings—

Let’s dive into some changes from the last edition of power rankings.

The Thunder have a weak grip on No. 1 after the Lu Dort trade

The Thunder traded Lu Dort to save on their tax bill, and even Sam Presti admitted as much. I thought Dort was borderline unplayable late in the playoffs last year with a shaky handle, poor passing vision, and an inconsistent three-point stroke, but his defense was still impactful to opponents who feared his physicality. Losing Dort means more minutes for Ajay Mitchell, Cason Wallace, and Jared McCain, which should be a very good thing for OKC. It also means some of the young guns need to step up behind them, and the pressure is now on Nikola Topic and Bennett Stirtz, as well as Aday Mara and Thomas Sorber, to turn into decent rotation pieces.

I thought about moving OKC off the No. 1 spot with this update. The Spurs whooped them all season, right? The Knicks deserve the benefit of the doubt after a championship run, don’t they? The thing that keeps bringing me back to OKC is that we didn’t really get to see this team fully healthy all year, not with Jalen Williams and Mitchell both suffering untimely injuries. I hate the way Chet Holmgren looks in the Spurs matchup against Victor Wembanyama, but to me he’s still a top-15 player against anyone else. At the end of the day, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is still the best guard in the game, and I’ll take my chances with him fully in his prime.

There is part of me that thinks losing Dort could be addition by subtraction for the Thunder. Their season will be determined by Williams’ health, Holmgren’s mindset, and Mitchell’s ability to level up again. I still think this is the strongest roster in the NBA, so they’re No. 1 entering the season to me.

The Sixers’ postseason ceiling is real, but can they get there?

I don’t love the fit with LeBron on the Sixers. Sorry. There are a lot of guys here at their best with the ball in their hands, with Philly’s five projected starters totaling 140% in usage rate. The defense is even more worrisome. Scaling down can be as hard as scaling up, and I just don’t think Jaylen Brown or Joel Embiid as it in their game to do it. Those two will need to prove me wrong for Philly to walk away from this season with a championship.

Can Brown adjust to a more off-ball role where he maximizes his three-point rate and locks in off-the-ball defensively? He only hit 33.1% on 2.5 catch-and-shoot attempts from three per game last year, and he’s always been inattentive defensively when he’s not guarding the ball. Can Embiid forgo his need for post touches and instead use most of his energy to get back to being a monster rim protector? I’m skeptical he’s interested in doing that. The Celtics shopped Brown to the entire NBA and no one wanted him enough to beat Philly’s offer. LeBron is seeing something that the nerds in rival front offices aren’t seeing, and that makes this move feel like a big bet on “Jaylen Brown, the superstar” as much as anything else.

The media is going to expect this team to be really good, but there’s quite a bit of downside here. James is going to need to have a big time shooting season after hitting just 31.7% from deep last year. He’s going to need to push himself as a leader to get Brown and Embiid to buy into their best roles. I still trust LeBron’s ability to problem-solve in the biggest moments, and this team will need it. I like Philly a lot better as a playoff team than a regular season team, but only if they’re healthy. That’s a big if with this collection.

Miami and Cleveland are the big losers of LeBron’s decision

Don’t look now, but the Heat and Cavs might be fighting to just get out of the play-in tournament after LeBron decided against a reunion with both franchises.

The Heat landed Giannis Antetokounmpo, but their depth is poor and they don’t really have any future assets left to continue building out the team. Miami is always so good at developing players on the margins, and this will be the biggest test yet of their ability to do it again. The Cavs are coming off a decidedly unconvincing run to the Eastern Conference Finals, and they’ve only gotten worse this summer. Dean Wade is gone, and the only addition to the roster is second-round pick Meleek Thomas. I don’t care how great Thomas looked in summer league, this roster is in big trouble, and James choosing to go elsewhere is a huge indictment.

I’m liking the Hawks roster as much or more than the Heat and Cavs’. With New York, Philly, Boston, and Toronto (assuming they land Kawhi) all looking like better regular season teams, the pressure is on the front offices for Miami and Cleveland to pull a rabbit out of their hat at some point to up their ceiling and give their teams a real chance come playoff time.

#NBA #Power #Rankings #teams #updated #LeBron #James #signs #76ers">NBA Power Rankings for all 30 teams updated after LeBron James signs with 76ers LeBron James wasn’t lying when he said he didn’t care about money when assessing his options in NBA free agency. Any team in the league could have landed James for essentially the veteran’s minimum if they could make the case that they gave him the best chance to win a fifth championship.In the end, the Philadelphia 76ers won the LeBron sweepstakes. James is joining a lineup that already includes Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey, V.J. Edgecombe, and Joel Embiid. The bench is pretty strong too with Dean Wade, Anfernee Simons, Labaron Philon, Dominick Barlow, Adem Bona, Justin Edwards, and Ariel Hukporti. I predicted the Sixers were the favorites to sign James last weekend, but it’s still hard to believe it actually happened.The Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers have to be heartbroken over James’ decision. The Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves must be kicking themselves that they couldn’t make a couple more moves to woo LeBron. Do the Boston Celtics suddenly regret the shocking Jaylen Brown to Philly trade that set LeBron’s decision into motion?I released by way-too-early NBA power rankings two weeks ago, and now they’re already irrelevant after LeBron’s decision. With the Oklahoma City Thunder also trading Lu Dort to the Atlanta Hawks in a three-team deal, it feels appropriate to refresh the rankings. Here’s our latest power rankings for the 2026-2027 NBA season. One note: this is based on championship chances, not regular season performance. We’ll have more notes on the changes after the table.RankTeamChange1Oklahoma City Thunder—2San Antonio Spurs—3New York Knicks—4Minnesota Timberwolves—5Philadelphia 76ersUp 76Boston CelticsDown 17Los Angeles LakersDown 18Denver NuggetsDown 19Detroit PistonsDown 110Toronto RaptorsDown 111Houston RocketsUp 212Cleveland CavaliersDown 213Indiana PacersDown 214Atlanta HawksUp 315Miami HeatDown 116Orlando MagicDown 117Portland Trail BlazersDown 118Utah Jazz—19Phoenix Suns—20Dallas Mavericks—21Charlotte Hornets—22Memphis Grizzlies—23Golden State Warriors—24New Orleans Pelicans—25Brooklyn Nets—26Los Angeles Clippers—27Washington Wizards—28Chicago Bulls—29Milwaukee Bucks—30Sacramento Kings—Let’s dive into some changes from the last edition of power rankings.The Thunder have a weak grip on No. 1 after the Lu Dort tradeThe Thunder traded Lu Dort to save on their tax bill, and even Sam Presti admitted as much. I thought Dort was borderline unplayable late in the playoffs last year with a shaky handle, poor passing vision, and an inconsistent three-point stroke, but his defense was still impactful to opponents who feared his physicality. Losing Dort means more minutes for Ajay Mitchell, Cason Wallace, and Jared McCain, which should be a very good thing for OKC. It also means some of the young guns need to step up behind them, and the pressure is now on Nikola Topic and Bennett Stirtz, as well as Aday Mara and Thomas Sorber, to turn into decent rotation pieces.I thought about moving OKC off the No. 1 spot with this update. The Spurs whooped them all season, right? The Knicks deserve the benefit of the doubt after a championship run, don’t they? The thing that keeps bringing me back to OKC is that we didn’t really get to see this team fully healthy all year, not with Jalen Williams and Mitchell both suffering untimely injuries. I hate the way Chet Holmgren looks in the Spurs matchup against Victor Wembanyama, but to me he’s still a top-15 player against anyone else. At the end of the day, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is still the best guard in the game, and I’ll take my chances with him fully in his prime.There is part of me that thinks losing Dort could be addition by subtraction for the Thunder. Their season will be determined by Williams’ health, Holmgren’s mindset, and Mitchell’s ability to level up again. I still think this is the strongest roster in the NBA, so they’re No. 1 entering the season to me.The Sixers’ postseason ceiling is real, but can they get there?I don’t love the fit with LeBron on the Sixers. Sorry. There are a lot of guys here at their best with the ball in their hands, with Philly’s five projected starters totaling 140% in usage rate. The defense is even more worrisome. Scaling down can be as hard as scaling up, and I just don’t think Jaylen Brown or Joel Embiid as it in their game to do it. Those two will need to prove me wrong for Philly to walk away from this season with a championship.Can Brown adjust to a more off-ball role where he maximizes his three-point rate and locks in off-the-ball defensively? He only hit 33.1% on 2.5 catch-and-shoot attempts from three per game last year, and he’s always been inattentive defensively when he’s not guarding the ball. Can Embiid forgo his need for post touches and instead use most of his energy to get back to being a monster rim protector? I’m skeptical he’s interested in doing that. The Celtics shopped Brown to the entire NBA and no one wanted him enough to beat Philly’s offer. LeBron is seeing something that the nerds in rival front offices aren’t seeing, and that makes this move feel like a big bet on “Jaylen Brown, the superstar” as much as anything else.The media is going to expect this team to be really good, but there’s quite a bit of downside here. James is going to need to have a big time shooting season after hitting just 31.7% from deep last year. He’s going to need to push himself as a leader to get Brown and Embiid to buy into their best roles. I still trust LeBron’s ability to problem-solve in the biggest moments, and this team will need it. I like Philly a lot better as a playoff team than a regular season team, but only if they’re healthy. That’s a big if with this collection.Miami and Cleveland are the big losers of LeBron’s decisionDon’t look now, but the Heat and Cavs might be fighting to just get out of the play-in tournament after LeBron decided against a reunion with both franchises.The Heat landed Giannis Antetokounmpo, but their depth is poor and they don’t really have any future assets left to continue building out the team. Miami is always so good at developing players on the margins, and this will be the biggest test yet of their ability to do it again. The Cavs are coming off a decidedly unconvincing run to the Eastern Conference Finals, and they’ve only gotten worse this summer. Dean Wade is gone, and the only addition to the roster is second-round pick Meleek Thomas. I don’t care how great Thomas looked in summer league, this roster is in big trouble, and James choosing to go elsewhere is a huge indictment.I’m liking the Hawks roster as much or more than the Heat and Cavs’. With New York, Philly, Boston, and Toronto (assuming they land Kawhi) all looking like better regular season teams, the pressure is on the front offices for Miami and Cleveland to pull a rabbit out of their hat at some point to up their ceiling and give their teams a real chance come playoff time. #NBA #Power #Rankings #teams #updated #LeBron #James #signs #76ers

Philadelphia 76ers won the LeBron sweepstakes. James is joining a lineup that already includes Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey, V.J. Edgecombe, and Joel Embiid. The bench is pretty strong too with Dean Wade, Anfernee Simons, Labaron Philon, Dominick Barlow, Adem Bona, Justin Edwards, and Ariel Hukporti. I predicted the Sixers were the favorites to sign James last weekend, but it’s still hard to believe it actually happened.

The Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers have to be heartbroken over James’ decision. The Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves must be kicking themselves that they couldn’t make a couple more moves to woo LeBron. Do the Boston Celtics suddenly regret the shocking Jaylen Brown to Philly trade that set LeBron’s decision into motion?

I released by way-too-early NBA power rankings two weeks ago, and now they’re already irrelevant after LeBron’s decision. With the Oklahoma City Thunder also trading Lu Dort to the Atlanta Hawks in a three-team deal, it feels appropriate to refresh the rankings. Here’s our latest power rankings for the 2026-2027 NBA season. One note: this is based on championship chances, not regular season performance. We’ll have more notes on the changes after the table.

Rank

Team

Change

1Oklahoma City Thunder—
2San Antonio Spurs—
3New York Knicks—
4Minnesota Timberwolves—
5Philadelphia 76ersUp 7
6Boston CelticsDown 1
7Los Angeles LakersDown 1
8Denver NuggetsDown 1
9Detroit PistonsDown 1
10Toronto RaptorsDown 1
11Houston RocketsUp 2
12Cleveland CavaliersDown 2
13Indiana PacersDown 2
14Atlanta HawksUp 3
15Miami HeatDown 1
16Orlando MagicDown 1
17Portland Trail BlazersDown 1
18Utah Jazz—
19Phoenix Suns—
20Dallas Mavericks—
21Charlotte Hornets—
22Memphis Grizzlies—
23Golden State Warriors—
24New Orleans Pelicans—
25Brooklyn Nets—
26Los Angeles Clippers—
27Washington Wizards—
28Chicago Bulls—
29Milwaukee Bucks—
30Sacramento Kings—

Let’s dive into some changes from the last edition of power rankings.

The Thunder have a weak grip on No. 1 after the Lu Dort trade

The Thunder traded Lu Dort to save on their tax bill, and even Sam Presti admitted as much. I thought Dort was borderline unplayable late in the playoffs last year with a shaky handle, poor passing vision, and an inconsistent three-point stroke, but his defense was still impactful to opponents who feared his physicality. Losing Dort means more minutes for Ajay Mitchell, Cason Wallace, and Jared McCain, which should be a very good thing for OKC. It also means some of the young guns need to step up behind them, and the pressure is now on Nikola Topic and Bennett Stirtz, as well as Aday Mara and Thomas Sorber, to turn into decent rotation pieces.

I thought about moving OKC off the No. 1 spot with this update. The Spurs whooped them all season, right? The Knicks deserve the benefit of the doubt after a championship run, don’t they? The thing that keeps bringing me back to OKC is that we didn’t really get to see this team fully healthy all year, not with Jalen Williams and Mitchell both suffering untimely injuries. I hate the way Chet Holmgren looks in the Spurs matchup against Victor Wembanyama, but to me he’s still a top-15 player against anyone else. At the end of the day, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is still the best guard in the game, and I’ll take my chances with him fully in his prime.

There is part of me that thinks losing Dort could be addition by subtraction for the Thunder. Their season will be determined by Williams’ health, Holmgren’s mindset, and Mitchell’s ability to level up again. I still think this is the strongest roster in the NBA, so they’re No. 1 entering the season to me.

The Sixers’ postseason ceiling is real, but can they get there?

I don’t love the fit with LeBron on the Sixers. Sorry. There are a lot of guys here at their best with the ball in their hands, with Philly’s five projected starters totaling 140% in usage rate. The defense is even more worrisome. Scaling down can be as hard as scaling up, and I just don’t think Jaylen Brown or Joel Embiid as it in their game to do it. Those two will need to prove me wrong for Philly to walk away from this season with a championship.

Can Brown adjust to a more off-ball role where he maximizes his three-point rate and locks in off-the-ball defensively? He only hit 33.1% on 2.5 catch-and-shoot attempts from three per game last year, and he’s always been inattentive defensively when he’s not guarding the ball. Can Embiid forgo his need for post touches and instead use most of his energy to get back to being a monster rim protector? I’m skeptical he’s interested in doing that. The Celtics shopped Brown to the entire NBA and no one wanted him enough to beat Philly’s offer. LeBron is seeing something that the nerds in rival front offices aren’t seeing, and that makes this move feel like a big bet on “Jaylen Brown, the superstar” as much as anything else.

The media is going to expect this team to be really good, but there’s quite a bit of downside here. James is going to need to have a big time shooting season after hitting just 31.7% from deep last year. He’s going to need to push himself as a leader to get Brown and Embiid to buy into their best roles. I still trust LeBron’s ability to problem-solve in the biggest moments, and this team will need it. I like Philly a lot better as a playoff team than a regular season team, but only if they’re healthy. That’s a big if with this collection.

Miami and Cleveland are the big losers of LeBron’s decision

Don’t look now, but the Heat and Cavs might be fighting to just get out of the play-in tournament after LeBron decided against a reunion with both franchises.

The Heat landed Giannis Antetokounmpo, but their depth is poor and they don’t really have any future assets left to continue building out the team. Miami is always so good at developing players on the margins, and this will be the biggest test yet of their ability to do it again. The Cavs are coming off a decidedly unconvincing run to the Eastern Conference Finals, and they’ve only gotten worse this summer. Dean Wade is gone, and the only addition to the roster is second-round pick Meleek Thomas. I don’t care how great Thomas looked in summer league, this roster is in big trouble, and James choosing to go elsewhere is a huge indictment.

I’m liking the Hawks roster as much or more than the Heat and Cavs’. With New York, Philly, Boston, and Toronto (assuming they land Kawhi) all looking like better regular season teams, the pressure is on the front offices for Miami and Cleveland to pull a rabbit out of their hat at some point to up their ceiling and give their teams a real chance come playoff time.

#NBA #Power #Rankings #teams #updated #LeBron #James #signs #76ers">NBA Power Rankings for all 30 teams updated after LeBron James signs with 76ers

LeBron James wasn’t lying when he said he didn’t care about money when assessing his options in NBA free agency. Any team in the league could have landed James for essentially the veteran’s minimum if they could make the case that they gave him the best chance to win a fifth championship.

In the end, the Philadelphia 76ers won the LeBron sweepstakes. James is joining a lineup that already includes Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey, V.J. Edgecombe, and Joel Embiid. The bench is pretty strong too with Dean Wade, Anfernee Simons, Labaron Philon, Dominick Barlow, Adem Bona, Justin Edwards, and Ariel Hukporti. I predicted the Sixers were the favorites to sign James last weekend, but it’s still hard to believe it actually happened.

The Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers have to be heartbroken over James’ decision. The Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves must be kicking themselves that they couldn’t make a couple more moves to woo LeBron. Do the Boston Celtics suddenly regret the shocking Jaylen Brown to Philly trade that set LeBron’s decision into motion?

I released by way-too-early NBA power rankings two weeks ago, and now they’re already irrelevant after LeBron’s decision. With the Oklahoma City Thunder also trading Lu Dort to the Atlanta Hawks in a three-team deal, it feels appropriate to refresh the rankings. Here’s our latest power rankings for the 2026-2027 NBA season. One note: this is based on championship chances, not regular season performance. We’ll have more notes on the changes after the table.

Rank

Team

Change

1Oklahoma City Thunder—
2San Antonio Spurs—
3New York Knicks—
4Minnesota Timberwolves—
5Philadelphia 76ersUp 7
6Boston CelticsDown 1
7Los Angeles LakersDown 1
8Denver NuggetsDown 1
9Detroit PistonsDown 1
10Toronto RaptorsDown 1
11Houston RocketsUp 2
12Cleveland CavaliersDown 2
13Indiana PacersDown 2
14Atlanta HawksUp 3
15Miami HeatDown 1
16Orlando MagicDown 1
17Portland Trail BlazersDown 1
18Utah Jazz—
19Phoenix Suns—
20Dallas Mavericks—
21Charlotte Hornets—
22Memphis Grizzlies—
23Golden State Warriors—
24New Orleans Pelicans—
25Brooklyn Nets—
26Los Angeles Clippers—
27Washington Wizards—
28Chicago Bulls—
29Milwaukee Bucks—
30Sacramento Kings—

Let’s dive into some changes from the last edition of power rankings.

The Thunder have a weak grip on No. 1 after the Lu Dort trade

The Thunder traded Lu Dort to save on their tax bill, and even Sam Presti admitted as much. I thought Dort was borderline unplayable late in the playoffs last year with a shaky handle, poor passing vision, and an inconsistent three-point stroke, but his defense was still impactful to opponents who feared his physicality. Losing Dort means more minutes for Ajay Mitchell, Cason Wallace, and Jared McCain, which should be a very good thing for OKC. It also means some of the young guns need to step up behind them, and the pressure is now on Nikola Topic and Bennett Stirtz, as well as Aday Mara and Thomas Sorber, to turn into decent rotation pieces.

I thought about moving OKC off the No. 1 spot with this update. The Spurs whooped them all season, right? The Knicks deserve the benefit of the doubt after a championship run, don’t they? The thing that keeps bringing me back to OKC is that we didn’t really get to see this team fully healthy all year, not with Jalen Williams and Mitchell both suffering untimely injuries. I hate the way Chet Holmgren looks in the Spurs matchup against Victor Wembanyama, but to me he’s still a top-15 player against anyone else. At the end of the day, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is still the best guard in the game, and I’ll take my chances with him fully in his prime.

There is part of me that thinks losing Dort could be addition by subtraction for the Thunder. Their season will be determined by Williams’ health, Holmgren’s mindset, and Mitchell’s ability to level up again. I still think this is the strongest roster in the NBA, so they’re No. 1 entering the season to me.

The Sixers’ postseason ceiling is real, but can they get there?

I don’t love the fit with LeBron on the Sixers. Sorry. There are a lot of guys here at their best with the ball in their hands, with Philly’s five projected starters totaling 140% in usage rate. The defense is even more worrisome. Scaling down can be as hard as scaling up, and I just don’t think Jaylen Brown or Joel Embiid as it in their game to do it. Those two will need to prove me wrong for Philly to walk away from this season with a championship.

Can Brown adjust to a more off-ball role where he maximizes his three-point rate and locks in off-the-ball defensively? He only hit 33.1% on 2.5 catch-and-shoot attempts from three per game last year, and he’s always been inattentive defensively when he’s not guarding the ball. Can Embiid forgo his need for post touches and instead use most of his energy to get back to being a monster rim protector? I’m skeptical he’s interested in doing that. The Celtics shopped Brown to the entire NBA and no one wanted him enough to beat Philly’s offer. LeBron is seeing something that the nerds in rival front offices aren’t seeing, and that makes this move feel like a big bet on “Jaylen Brown, the superstar” as much as anything else.

The media is going to expect this team to be really good, but there’s quite a bit of downside here. James is going to need to have a big time shooting season after hitting just 31.7% from deep last year. He’s going to need to push himself as a leader to get Brown and Embiid to buy into their best roles. I still trust LeBron’s ability to problem-solve in the biggest moments, and this team will need it. I like Philly a lot better as a playoff team than a regular season team, but only if they’re healthy. That’s a big if with this collection.

Miami and Cleveland are the big losers of LeBron’s decision

Don’t look now, but the Heat and Cavs might be fighting to just get out of the play-in tournament after LeBron decided against a reunion with both franchises.

The Heat landed Giannis Antetokounmpo, but their depth is poor and they don’t really have any future assets left to continue building out the team. Miami is always so good at developing players on the margins, and this will be the biggest test yet of their ability to do it again. The Cavs are coming off a decidedly unconvincing run to the Eastern Conference Finals, and they’ve only gotten worse this summer. Dean Wade is gone, and the only addition to the roster is second-round pick Meleek Thomas. I don’t care how great Thomas looked in summer league, this roster is in big trouble, and James choosing to go elsewhere is a huge indictment.

I’m liking the Hawks roster as much or more than the Heat and Cavs’. With New York, Philly, Boston, and Toronto (assuming they land Kawhi) all looking like better regular season teams, the pressure is on the front offices for Miami and Cleveland to pull a rabbit out of their hat at some point to up their ceiling and give their teams a real chance come playoff time.

#NBA #Power #Rankings #teams #updated #LeBron #James #signs #76ers

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