How can India qualify for FIFA U-17 World Cup after North Korea withdrew from Asian Cup? India was handed a major boost for its FIFA Under-17 World Cup 2026 qualification hopes after the Democratic Republic of Korea withdrew from the U-17 AFC Asian Cup last week.Korea DPR, also known as North Korea, was drawn with India, Australia and Uzbekistan in the U-17 Asian Cup, which is scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia between May 5 and 22. Nine teams from the Asian Cup will play in the World Cup, including host Qatar.However, a late withdrawal from Korea meant only three teams will compete from the group.How is that a boost for India’s World Cup hopes?The top two teams from each group will qualify for the U-17 World Cup. As a result, India will now need to finish in the top two from a pool of three teams to qualify for the World Cup.India has two matches in the group stages: India vs Australia India vs Uzbekistan How can India qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Cup?Scenario 1: India wins one match and draws/wins the other (4 points or more) — With at least four points, India will qualify.Scenario 2: India wins one match and loses another (3 points) — If the team India beat also loses its other match, India will qualify.But if every team wins one match each, the teams will end up with three points each. Then the following criteria will be considered. Points in head-to-head matches among tied teams; Goal difference in head-to-head matches among tied teams. Goals scored in head-to-head matches among tied teams; If more than two teams were tied, and after applying all head-to-head criteria above, a subset of teams were still tied, all head-to-head criteria above were reapplied exclusively to this subset of teams; Goal difference in all group matches; Goals scored in all group matches; Penalty shoot-out if only two teams were tied and they met in the last round of the group. Disciplinary points (yellow card = 1 point, red card as a result of two yellow cards = 3 points, direct red card = 3 points, yellow card followed by direct red card = 4 points); Drawing of lots. Scenario 3: India draws both matches (2 points) — India will qualify if the third group–stage match ends with anything but a draw.If Uzbekistan vs Australia ends in a draw, then all three teams end up with the same points. Then the following criteria will be considered. Points in head-to-head matches among tied teams; Goal difference in head-to-head matches among tied teams. Goals scored in head-to-head matches among tied teams; If more than two teams were tied, and after applying all head-to-head criteria above, a subset of teams were still tied, all head-to-head criteria above were reapplied exclusively to this subset of teams; Goal difference in all group matches; Goals scored in all group matches; Penalty shoot-out if only two teams were tied and they met in the last round of the group. Disciplinary points (yellow card = 1 point, red card as a result of two yellow cards = 3 points, direct red card = 3 points, yellow card followed by direct red card = 4 points); Drawing of lots. Scenario 4: India draws one match and loses the other (1 point) — The other match will have to be a draw, India will need to lose by a narrow margin and must score in its draw. Only then will India stand a chance to qualify.Has India played in the FIFA U-17 World Cup before?India has played in the FIFA U-17 World Cup only once in 2017, when it qualified by default as the host. It is yet to qualify for the World Cup on merit.Published on Apr 28, 2026 #India #qualify #FIFA #U17 #World #Cup #North #Korea #withdrew #Asian #Cup

How can India qualify for FIFA U-17 World Cup after North Korea withdrew from Asian Cup?
India was handed a major boost for its FIFA Under-17 World Cup 2026 qualification hopes after the Democratic Republic of Korea withdrew from the U-17 AFC Asian Cup last week.
Korea DPR, also known as North Korea, was drawn with India, Australia and Uzbekistan in the U-17 Asian Cup, which is scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia between May 5 and 22. Nine teams from the Asian Cup will play in the World Cup, including host Qatar.
However, a late withdrawal from Korea meant only three teams will compete from the group.
How is that a boost for India’s World Cup hopes?
The top two teams from each group will qualify for the U-17 World Cup. As a result, India will now need to finish in the top two from a pool of three teams to qualify for the World Cup.
India has two matches in the group stages:
India vs Australia
India vs Uzbekistan
How can India qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Cup?
Scenario 1: India wins one match and draws/wins the other (4 points or more) — With at least four points, India will qualify.
Scenario 2: India wins one match and loses another (3 points) — If the team India beat also loses its other match, India will qualify.
But if every team wins one match each, the teams will end up with three points each. Then the following criteria will be considered.
Points in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
Goal difference in head-to-head matches among tied teams.
Goals scored in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
If more than two teams were tied, and after applying all head-to-head criteria above, a subset of teams were still tied, all head-to-head criteria above were reapplied exclusively to this subset of teams;
Goal difference in all group matches;
Goals scored in all group matches;
Penalty shoot-out if only two teams were tied and they met in the last round of the group.
Disciplinary points (yellow card = 1 point, red card as a result of two yellow cards = 3 points, direct red card = 3 points, yellow card followed by direct red card = 4 points);
Drawing of lots.
Scenario 3: India draws both matches (2 points) — India will qualify if the third group–stage match ends with anything but a draw.
If Uzbekistan vs Australia ends in a draw, then all three teams end up with the same points. Then the following criteria will be considered.
Points in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
Goal difference in head-to-head matches among tied teams.
Goals scored in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
If more than two teams were tied, and after applying all head-to-head criteria above, a subset of teams were still tied, all head-to-head criteria above were reapplied exclusively to this subset of teams;
Goal difference in all group matches;
Goals scored in all group matches;
Penalty shoot-out if only two teams were tied and they met in the last round of the group.
Disciplinary points (yellow card = 1 point, red card as a result of two yellow cards = 3 points, direct red card = 3 points, yellow card followed by direct red card = 4 points);
Drawing of lots.
Scenario 4: India draws one match and loses the other (1 point) — The other match will have to be a draw, India will need to lose by a narrow margin and must score in its draw. Only then will India stand a chance to qualify.
Has India played in the FIFA U-17 World Cup before?
India has played in the FIFA U-17 World Cup only once in 2017, when it qualified by default as the host. It is yet to qualify for the World Cup on merit.
Published on Apr 28, 2026
#India #qualify #FIFA #U17 #World #Cup #North #Korea #withdrew #Asian #Cup

India was handed a major boost for its FIFA Under-17 World Cup 2026 qualification hopes after the Democratic Republic of Korea withdrew from the U-17 AFC Asian Cup last week.

Korea DPR, also known as North Korea, was drawn with India, Australia and Uzbekistan in the U-17 Asian Cup, which is scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia between May 5 and 22. Nine teams from the Asian Cup will play in the World Cup, including host Qatar.

However, a late withdrawal from Korea meant only three teams will compete from the group.

How is that a boost for India’s World Cup hopes?

The top two teams from each group will qualify for the U-17 World Cup. As a result, India will now need to finish in the top two from a pool of three teams to qualify for the World Cup.

India has two matches in the group stages:

India vs Australia
India vs Uzbekistan

How can India qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Cup?

Scenario 1: India wins one match and draws/wins the other (4 points or more) — With at least four points, India will qualify.

Scenario 2: India wins one match and loses another (3 points) — If the team India beat also loses its other match, India will qualify.

But if every team wins one match each, the teams will end up with three points each. Then the following criteria will be considered.

Points in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
Goal difference in head-to-head matches among tied teams.
Goals scored in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
If more than two teams were tied, and after applying all head-to-head criteria above, a subset of teams were still tied, all head-to-head criteria above were reapplied exclusively to this subset of teams;
Goal difference in all group matches;
Goals scored in all group matches;
Penalty shoot-out if only two teams were tied and they met in the last round of the group.
Disciplinary points (yellow card = 1 point, red card as a result of two yellow cards = 3 points, direct red card = 3 points, yellow card followed by direct red card = 4 points);
Drawing of lots.

Scenario 3: India draws both matches (2 points) — India will qualify if the third group–stage match ends with anything but a draw.

If Uzbekistan vs Australia ends in a draw, then all three teams end up with the same points. Then the following criteria will be considered.

Points in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
Goal difference in head-to-head matches among tied teams.
Goals scored in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
If more than two teams were tied, and after applying all head-to-head criteria above, a subset of teams were still tied, all head-to-head criteria above were reapplied exclusively to this subset of teams;
Goal difference in all group matches;
Goals scored in all group matches;
Penalty shoot-out if only two teams were tied and they met in the last round of the group.
Disciplinary points (yellow card = 1 point, red card as a result of two yellow cards = 3 points, direct red card = 3 points, yellow card followed by direct red card = 4 points);
Drawing of lots.

Scenario 4: India draws one match and loses the other (1 point) — The other match will have to be a draw, India will need to lose by a narrow margin and must score in its draw. Only then will India stand a chance to qualify.

Has India played in the FIFA U-17 World Cup before?

India has played in the FIFA U-17 World Cup only once in 2017, when it qualified by default as the host. It is yet to qualify for the World Cup on merit.

Published on Apr 28, 2026

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#India #qualify #FIFA #U17 #World #Cup #North #Korea #withdrew #Asian #Cup

Tag how can india qualify for fifa u17 asian cup how can india qualify for fifa world cup after north korea withdraws how can india qualify for u17 world cup how india can qualify for u17 world cup qualification scenarios india u17 world cup qualification scenarios indian football latest north korea out of u17 asian cup

Alo Yoga’s New Olive Tree Colorway Is Rethinking Spring Style

#Deadspin #Alejandro #Alvarado #goal #helps #San #Diego #edge #Dallas">

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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">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
1	Oklahoma City Thunder	—
2	San Antonio Spurs	—
3	New York Knicks	—
4	Minnesota Timberwolves	—
5	Philadelphia 76ers	Up 7
6	Boston Celtics	Down 1
7	Los Angeles Lakers	Down 1
8	Denver Nuggets	Down 1
9	Detroit Pistons	Down 1
10	Toronto Raptors	Down 1
11	Houston Rockets	Up 2
12	Cleveland Cavaliers	Down 2
13	Indiana Pacers	Down 2
14	Atlanta Hawks	Up 3
15	Miami Heat	Down 1
16	Orlando Magic	Down 1
17	Portland Trail Blazers	Down 1
18	Utah Jazz	—
19	Phoenix Suns	—
20	Dallas Mavericks	—
21	Charlotte Hornets	—
22	Memphis Grizzlies	—
23	Golden State Warriors	—
24	New Orleans Pelicans	—
25	Brooklyn Nets	—
26	Los Angeles Clippers	—
27	Washington Wizards	—
28	Chicago Bulls	—
29	Milwaukee Bucks	—
30	Sacramento 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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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
1 Oklahoma City Thunder —
2 San Antonio Spurs —
3 New York Knicks —
4 Minnesota Timberwolves —
5 Philadelphia 76ers Up 7
6 Boston Celtics Down 1
7 Los Angeles Lakers Down 1
8 Denver Nuggets Down 1
9 Detroit Pistons Down 1
10 Toronto Raptors Down 1
11 Houston Rockets Up 2
12 Cleveland Cavaliers Down 2
13 Indiana Pacers Down 2
14 Atlanta Hawks Up 3
15 Miami Heat Down 1
16 Orlando Magic Down 1
17 Portland Trail Blazers Down 1
18 Utah Jazz —
19 Phoenix Suns —
20 Dallas Mavericks —
21 Charlotte Hornets —
22 Memphis Grizzlies —
23 Golden State Warriors —
24 New Orleans Pelicans —
25 Brooklyn Nets —
26 Los Angeles Clippers —
27 Washington Wizards —
28 Chicago Bulls —
29 Milwaukee Bucks —
30 Sacramento 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

Rank	Team	Change
1	Oklahoma City Thunder	—
2	San Antonio Spurs	—
3	New York Knicks	—
4	Minnesota Timberwolves	—
5	Philadelphia 76ers	Up 7
6	Boston Celtics	Down 1
7	Los Angeles Lakers	Down 1
8	Denver Nuggets	Down 1
9	Detroit Pistons	Down 1
10	Toronto Raptors	Down 1
11	Houston Rockets	Up 2
12	Cleveland Cavaliers	Down 2
13	Indiana Pacers	Down 2
14	Atlanta Hawks	Up 3
15	Miami Heat	Down 1
16	Orlando Magic	Down 1
17	Portland Trail Blazers	Down 1
18	Utah Jazz	—
19	Phoenix Suns	—
20	Dallas Mavericks	—
21	Charlotte Hornets	—
22	Memphis Grizzlies	—
23	Golden State Warriors	—
24	New Orleans Pelicans	—
25	Brooklyn Nets	—
26	Los Angeles Clippers	—
27	Washington Wizards	—
28	Chicago Bulls	—
29	Milwaukee Bucks	—
30	Sacramento 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 Sixers’ postseason ceiling is real, but can they get there?

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.

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

With the Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) of the All India Tennis Association (AITA) to ratify the new Constitution scheduled for Sunday in New Delhi, three contentious clauses are likely to take centrestage.

These concern the composition of the Executive Committee (EC), the upper age-limit for office-bearers and how their tenures will be calculated. In a 15-member EC, the National Sports Governance Act mandates at least two Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit (SOM) and two Athletes Committee (AC) representatives. But the Justice (Retd.) Gita Mittal-led panel has proposed five SOM and two from the AC to make it more athlete friendly.

As against the requirement of at least four of the 15 to be women (minimum of one each from SOM and AC), Justice Mittal’s team has sought the inclusion of at least five women (one-third) so that floor-level representation is maintained even when there is a vacancy.

The Sports Act mandates an age ceiling of 70 years for EC members but in the same breath says that those between 70 and 75 “may contest” and serve a full term “if permitted by the International Charters and Statutes and the bye-laws”. The AITA believes that since the 2026 Constitution of the International Tennis Federation only prescribes a lower limit (21 years) and is silent on an upper threshold, the ceiling can be raised to 75 years.

But the administrator’s team has argued that “may” limits the scope and the word “bye-laws” “envisages that the Bye-Laws of the National Sports body may restrict the age to 70 or below”. It also said that 70 was the unanimous choice of players past and present.

With regards to tenure, the Sports Act says a person is eligible if he or she is “not more than 70 on the last date of nomination for election”. Can someone turning 70 immediately after the nomination get elected for a full four-year term?

ALSO READ: Ahead of EGM, AITA Trust returns to spotlight amid accountability questions

It is to be noted that veteran administrator Anil Khanna is 73 and interim president Chintan Parikh will turn 70 in the near future. The administrator has also proposed that no EC member can hold office simultaneously in State associations, and governing bodies of other National federations except the Indian Olympic Association.

Further, the Delhi High Court, in its interim order dated June 18, had stated that all actions at the EGM — including the scenario where the AITA does not adopt the proposals — would be subject to the final outcome of the main petition filed by players Somdev Devvarman and Purav Raja.

The administrator-appointed observers for the EGM will be Rakesh Munjal (senior advocate and president of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation in Law), Raj Liberhan (bureaucrat and former secretary, International Lawn Tennis Club of India), Lorren Bamniyal (former registrar, Delhi High Court) and Illa Rawat (former district and sessions judge, Delhi).

Also, the AITA, through ITF, had sought an observer from the Asian Tennis Federation, but it is reliably learnt that the concerned person pulled out on Friday. Justice Mittal had earlier expressed her displeasure at the AITA trying to appoint Justice Ashish J. Desai (Retd.) as an observer.

Published on Jul 26, 2026

#AITA #Constitution #EGM #Age #ceiling #athlete #representation #tenure #focus">

AITA Constitution EGM: Age ceiling, athlete representation and tenure in focus With the Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) of the All India Tennis Association (AITA) to ratify the new Constitution scheduled for Sunday in New Delhi, three contentious clauses are likely to take centrestage.These concern the composition of the Executive Committee (EC), the upper age-limit for office-bearers and how their tenures will be calculated. In a 15-member EC, the National Sports Governance Act mandates at least two Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit (SOM) and two Athletes Committee (AC) representatives. But the Justice (Retd.) Gita Mittal-led panel has proposed five SOM and two from the AC to make it more athlete friendly.As against the requirement of at least four of the 15 to be women (minimum of one each from SOM and AC), Justice Mittal’s team has sought the inclusion of at least five women (one-third) so that floor-level representation is maintained even when there is a vacancy.The Sports Act mandates an age ceiling of 70 years for EC members but in the same breath says that those between 70 and 75 “may contest” and serve a full term “if permitted by the International Charters and Statutes and the bye-laws”. The AITA believes that since the 2026 Constitution of the International Tennis Federation only prescribes a lower limit (21 years) and is silent on an upper threshold, the ceiling can be raised to 75 years.But the administrator’s team has argued that “may” limits the scope and the word “bye-laws” “envisages that the Bye-Laws of the National Sports body may restrict the age to 70 or below”. It also said that 70 was the unanimous choice of players past and present.With regards to tenure, the Sports Act says a person is eligible if he or she is “not more than 70 on the last date of nomination for election”. Can someone turning 70 immediately after the nomination get elected for a full four-year term?ALSO READ: Ahead of EGM, AITA Trust returns to spotlight amid accountability questionsIt is to be noted that veteran administrator Anil Khanna is 73 and interim president Chintan Parikh will turn 70 in the near future. The administrator has also proposed that no EC member can hold office simultaneously in State associations, and governing bodies of other National federations except the Indian Olympic Association.Further, the Delhi High Court, in its interim order dated June 18, had stated that all actions at the EGM — including the scenario where the AITA does not adopt the proposals — would be subject to the final outcome of the main petition filed by players Somdev Devvarman and Purav Raja.The administrator-appointed observers for the EGM will be Rakesh Munjal (senior advocate and president of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation in Law), Raj Liberhan (bureaucrat and former secretary, International Lawn Tennis Club of India), Lorren Bamniyal (former registrar, Delhi High Court) and Illa Rawat (former district and sessions judge, Delhi).Also, the AITA, through ITF, had sought an observer from the Asian Tennis Federation, but it is reliably learnt that the concerned person pulled out on Friday. Justice Mittal had earlier expressed her displeasure at the AITA trying to appoint Justice Ashish J. Desai (Retd.) as an observer.Published on Jul 26, 2026 #AITA #Constitution #EGM #Age #ceiling #athlete #representation #tenure #focus

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With the Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) of the All India Tennis Association (AITA) to ratify the new Constitution scheduled for Sunday in New Delhi, three contentious clauses are likely to take centrestage.
These concern the composition of the Executive Committee (EC), the upper age-limit for office-bearers and how their tenures will be calculated. In a 15-member EC, the National Sports Governance Act mandates at least two Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit (SOM) and two Athletes Committee (AC) representatives. But the Justice (Retd.) Gita Mittal-led panel has proposed five SOM and two from the AC to make it more athlete friendly.
As against the requirement of at least four of the 15 to be women (minimum of one each from SOM and AC), Justice Mittal’s team has sought the inclusion of at least five women (one-third) so that floor-level representation is maintained even when there is a vacancy.
The Sports Act mandates an age ceiling of 70 years for EC members but in the same breath says that those between 70 and 75 “may contest” and serve a full term “if permitted by the International Charters and Statutes and the bye-laws”. The AITA believes that since the 2026 Constitution of the International Tennis Federation only prescribes a lower limit (21 years) and is silent on an upper threshold, the ceiling can be raised to 75 years.
But the administrator’s team has argued that “may” limits the scope and the word “bye-laws” “envisages that the Bye-Laws of the National Sports body may restrict the age to 70 or below”. It also said that 70 was the unanimous choice of players past and present.
With regards to tenure, the Sports Act says a person is eligible if he or she is “not more than 70 on the last date of nomination for election”. Can someone turning 70 immediately after the nomination get elected for a full four-year term?
ALSO READ: Ahead of EGM, AITA Trust returns to spotlight amid accountability questions
It is to be noted that veteran administrator Anil Khanna is 73 and interim president Chintan Parikh will turn 70 in the near future. The administrator has also proposed that no EC member can hold office simultaneously in State associations, and governing bodies of other National federations except the Indian Olympic Association.
Further, the Delhi High Court, in its interim order dated June 18, had stated that all actions at the EGM — including the scenario where the AITA does not adopt the proposals — would be subject to the final outcome of the main petition filed by players Somdev Devvarman and Purav Raja.
The administrator-appointed observers for the EGM will be Rakesh Munjal (senior advocate and president of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation in Law), Raj Liberhan (bureaucrat and former secretary, International Lawn Tennis Club of India), Lorren Bamniyal (former registrar, Delhi High Court) and Illa Rawat (former district and sessions judge, Delhi).
Also, the AITA, through ITF, had sought an observer from the Asian Tennis Federation, but it is reliably learnt that the concerned person pulled out on Friday. Justice Mittal had earlier expressed her displeasure at the AITA trying to appoint Justice Ashish J. Desai (Retd.) as an observer.
Published on Jul 26, 2026

#AITA #Constitution #EGM #Age #ceiling #athlete #representation #tenure #focus">AITA Constitution EGM: Age ceiling, athlete representation and tenure in focus

ALSO READ: Ahead of EGM, AITA Trust returns to spotlight amid accountability questions

Published on Jul 26, 2026

#AITA #Constitution #EGM #Age #ceiling #athlete #representation #tenure #focus

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

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Rank

Team

Change

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

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

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

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