season

John Murray: Madjo is a teenage striker Aston Villa fans will know all about already after the goals he has scored for them in pre-season.

Born in London to parents from Cameroon, Madjo grew up in Luxembourg and made his senior international debut for them last year.

But he has now switched his international allegiance to England and played for the Under-17 team.

After a wrangle over that, he was finally cleared to play in competitive matches for Villa, making his competitive debut last week with a goal in the Super Cup against Paris St-Germain.

He looks like a big man with a big future.

Guy Mowbray: There’s been talk of a loan move for Madjo, but his flurry of pre-season goals and a massive impact against PSG should keep him around at least until the next transfer window.

If that’s the case – you won’t fail to notice him! He is a powerful striker who has most of the tools to be a success.

Steve Bower: I was going to choose Johan Manzambi, who I included when we did a similar article about new players to watch at the World Cup. Manzambi had an excellent tournament, and Villa pipped Newcastle to sign him.

But I didn’t want to include two players from one club, and I was told about Madjo when Villa signed him for just over £10m back in January, before they had well-documented issues registering him.

Obviously we know he has been available in pre-season, when he has made his mark with four goals against Walsall, Real Sociedad and Indonesia All-Stars. Then of course Unai Emery gave him his opportunity against PSG, when he scored again.

He has got a huge frame and figure for his age, bringing very early comparisons to Erling Haaland, which is a big tag to carry.

But, without putting too much pressure on a 17-year-old’s shoulders, with Villa being in the Champions League this season and the extra games that brings, Madjo is going to get some minutes.

It feels like the perfect scenario for Madjo, because with strikers like Ollie Watkins and Tammy Abraham at the club, Villa can introduce a young player like him to the first team without having to rely on him.

In Emery, Madjo has got the perfect manager to nurture his development too, and I think he could make his mark across all competitions this season.

When the Oakland Athletics released Max Muncy before the 2017 season, the then-26-year-old didn’t know if a baseball career was for him anymore, let alone a future at third base.

“Man, there’s a lot with that,” Muncy told The Times. “It’s just a lot.”

Then, the Dodgers came calling, signing Muncy to a minor-league contract in late April 2017.

And now — nine seasons, three All-Star nods and three World Series championships later — Muncy just eclipsed 10 years of service time on Sunday against the Brewers, eight days before his 36th birthday.

“It’s special. It’s a rare accomplishment in baseball,” Muncy said of the feat that fewer than 10% of all MLB players reach. “It’s something that I’m extremely proud of. There’s not many things that I take personal pride in when it comes to, you know, personal accomplishments. For me, it’s always about winning rings and doing things as a team.

“But this is one of the few that I’m really, really proud of, and I’ll definitely cherish.”

No one could’ve foreseen the unobtrusively great career that Muncy has carved out for himself, specifically over the last nine seasons in Los Angeles since getting called up in 2018.

Entering this week’s three-game series in Colorado against the Rockies, Muncy is the Dodgers’ all-time playoff home run leader with 16 and is fifth on the franchise’s all-time home runs list with 233. He has slashed .234/.357/.486 over 1,039 regular-season games with the club, anchoring lineups alongside countless big-name teammates while evolving into a trustworthy defender.

Even someone who’s seen Muncy’s journey up close like Dodgers reliever Brock Stewart, who was also vying for a big-league opportunity in Triple-A Oklahoma City during that forever-ago 2017 season, is still moved by his ascent.

“He’s always been a good teammate [and] always been a good human,” Stewart said. “I don’t know if he always believed in himself, and I can relate to that, because I didn’t believe in myself all the time … But to see him and how he persevered through that feeling [or] that self-doubt and became what he is now [is] super special.

“And, man, to know that he’s now the Dodger [Stadium] all-time home run leader? Whatever it is … after being an older guy in Triple-A with me and then getting called up … special.”

In retrospect, though, this was always Muncy’s destiny.

He’s long been a manager’s dream, a status that is timeless and priceless.

“I remember a guy that just got DFA’d that was sort of kicked to the curb by an organization that didn’t believe in him,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of Muncy. “He was close to being out of baseball … He’s one of the leaders on our ballclub, the longest-tenured Dodger currently. So I just have nothing but praise.

“The ability to kind of adapt, start, come off the bench and still [do] whatever it takes to help the team win — he’s all in. … He does everything you want as a manager — everything. He’s cut from the same Freddie Freeman cloth.”

Muncy is as team-first as it gets.

Although some stats might occasionally catch his eye, Muncy doesn’t put much thought into individual accomplishments. Recently passing Eric Karros, for example, for first in career homers at Dodger Stadium — Muncy currently has 132 to Karros’ 130 — doesn’t light up Muncy as one might think.

“There’s not much when it comes to me, personally, that I care about,” Muncy said. “But three rings is definitely what I [cherish] most.”

That selfless approach is what MLB’s premier organization and latest dynasty loves most about Muncy.

“He’s a guy that is always going to show up for the team and do whatever it takes to put the team in a good position,” said Miguel Rojas, Dodgers infielder and veteran leader. “That’s what I believe is a sign of a leader without talking much. … Every time he goes out there and he breaks a record, you feel good for the guy because he’s been working really hard toward the things he has right now in his power.

“I’m so happy and proud that I can say I was a teammate with him because he was one of the first guys that kind of opened his arms to me when I got back here in 2023. … He’s a guy you always can root for, especially in this organization full of stars. He always gets [overlooked] a little bit, but I feel like he’s one of the leaders of this club, and he will be until he retires.”

L.A. has borne witness to nothing but stars over the years.

Since Muncy has called L.A. home, he’s suited up alongside several future Hall of Famers, from Clayton Kershaw to Shohei Ohtani, mainly at the hot corner, where the bar is high after the trails blazed by Justin Turner, Ron Cey and others.

But if Muncy’s 10 years of service represent anything, it’s that he has become a Dodgers great, too — even if he hasn’t fully embraced the label yet.

“Surreal. It’s crazy. I definitely don’t see myself as that,” Muncy said of his growing place in Dodgers history. “But maybe one day, when I’m done, I’ll be able to sit back and kind of reflect on that. But for me, it’s just all surreal.”

Hi, and welcome to another edition of Prep Rally. I’m Eric Sondheimer. The high school football season begins this weekend with zero week games. Let’s review some of the top openers.

Big opening games

Thursday

Corona Centennial vs. Servite at Orange Coast College: It’s a challenging debut for first-year Servite coach Rick Garretson going against a Matt Logan offense that should be one of his best with quarterback Jaden Jefferson, running back Malaki Davis and receiver Quentin Hale. Servite has lots of speed and a trio of outstanding linebackers, plus new quarterback Gino Wang, so let’s see if the Friars can stay close. The pick: Corona Centennial.

Murrieta Valley at Rancho Cucamonga: These two top 25 teams exude toughness. Murrieta Valley is known for daring anyone to stop their running game. Rancho Cucamonga has had a year to get quarterback Trey Towns comfortable with the offense. The pick: Murrieta Valley.

Paraclete vs. St. Bonaventure at Ventura College: Former NFL defensive back Troy Hill, in his second year as head coach, had his first off season and the results should be good. The offense will be explosive behind improving junior quarterback Jaxson Carper and a group of speedy receivers. Angelus League favorite Paraclete has St. Francis transfer Shawn Sanders.

Friday

St. John Bosco at Las Vegas Bishop Gorman: This is a real national championship game. Whomever wins can finish unbeaten by season end. St. John Bosco’s experience on defense should be beneficial, but priority No. 1 is stopping running back Terrance Grant Jr., who has a huge offensive line to support him. Junior quarterback Koa Malau’ulu is in his third season as a starter. The receiving corp was hit hard by graduation but the offensive line should be much improved with the addition of Servite transfer Elisha Mueller. The pick: St. John Bosco.

Crenshaw at Palisades: Robert Garrett has left Crenshaw after 300 career victories. Interim coach Terrence Whitehead and his group of Garrett-trained assistants have worked hard to increase the roster level. There’s lots of athleticism at quarterback with Ethan Grant, a transfer from Los Angeles, and returnee Danniel Flowers. This is the first campus football game at Palisades since the Palisades Fire in January of 2025, so emotions will be high. The pick: Crenshaw.

Chaparral at Mission Viejo: Get ready for an entertaining TV opener in which both teams have a terrific group of receivers, so it will come down to who can protect their quarterback best. That’s where Mission Viejo has an advantage with probably the best offensive line since coach Chad Johnson arrived. The pick: Mission Viejo.

Loyola at Crean Lutheran: The Cubs go on the road to face a veteran team that has added lots of transfers, and the only question is how many will be eligible come game time. There are five Crean Lutheran players committed to Arizona. The pick: Crean Lutheran.

Gardena Serra vs. Palos Verdes at El Camino College: Get ready for Serra to pound the ball with its five returning offensive linemen and new running back AJ McBean. Palos Verdes has four-year starter Ryan Rakowski at quarterback to work his magic. Look for Serra’s speed advantage to be tough to stop. The pick: Serra.

Tustin at San Clemente: The Tritons won their game in Hawaii. Their defense faces a challenge from a Tustin team that has standout receiver Hayden Koo among a number of college prospect. But with Jaxson Rex leading the way, San Clemente figures to get some turnovers. The pick: San Clemente.

Here’s the complete zero week schedule.

All-City linebacker De’Andre Kirkpatrick of Crenshaw has grown to 6 feet 3, 220 pounds entering his senior season.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

The Times’ nine-part series previewing some of Southern California’s best football players continues on Monday with a profile of Crenshaw linebacker De’Andre Kirkpatrick, who had to overcome the loss of his mother and father within weeks of each other. Here’s the profile.

If you missed any of the profiles, here’s the link.

Southern California teams traveled to Hawaii last week and came away 9-0. Chaminade, Villa Park, San Juan Hills, Viewpoint, Edison, Beaumont, San Clemente, Newport Harbor and Capistrano Valley all won their openers.

Chaminade receiver Andrew Cordero had two touchdown catches from sophomore quarterback Jeremy Mellalieu in a 38-9 win over Leilehua.

San Juan Hills beat Castle 67-0. Nikos Ioja rushed for 93 yards.

Bellflower showed off two promising freshmen receivers in a scrimmage: Ke’Ondre Smith and Ryan Clark. They could help with Austin Miller out with an injury.

JSerra quarterback Kate Meier reaches across the goal line for the winning touchdown an instant before her flag is pulled.

(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)

Defending Southern Section Division 1 champion JSerra showed Saturday that it remains the team to beat in 2026 by winning the Chargers tournament Gold Division championship over Newport Harbor.

Sophomore quarterback Kate Meier and a terrific defense sparked the Lions to victory. JSerra defeated Orange Lutheran in the semifinals in a rematch of last year’s Division 1 final.

Right before its opening game of the season and its first game in school history, Sierra Canyon was able to get eligible quarterback Makena Cook, who transferred from Orange Lutheran. The Trailblazers played in the Chargers tournament and should be much stronger when the transfer sit-out period ends for those who did not change residences.

Here’s The Times’ top 10 Southern California rankings.

Girls volleyball

Coach Morgan Wijay of Harvard-Westlake has her team playing well to start the girls volleyball season.

(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)

In a season-opening matchup between reigning state champions, Harvard-Westlake pushed Mater Dei to five sets before senior outside hitter Westley Matavao took control in the Monarchs’ 26-28, 25-18, 25-19, 17-25, 15-8 victory in Studio City. The UCLA commit had 16 kills, 19 digs and six aces while Cal-bound middle blocker Emma Kingston had 13 kills for Mater Dei, which has won the CIF Open Division state championship twice in the last three years.

Brooke Cotter and Ruby Sampson had 12 kills apiece and Princeton commit Sophia Cotter added 11 kills for Harvard-Westlake, which won the Division 1 state title last fall under first-year coach Morgan Wijay, who had spent the previous 10 seasons at Alemany and guided that program to section titles in 2021 and 2022. The Wolverines finished third in the Mission League last year after being swept twice by Sierra Canyon and Marymount and are projected to be third again.

Mater Dei is the heavy favorite to repeat as Trinity League champion having added five transfers — two of those from its own league.

Sierra Canyon won the prestigious Ann Kang tournament in Hawaii, beating one top team after another.

Here’s the girls’ volleyball preview from The Times.

Jake Bauers’ journey

Former Marina first baseman Jake Bauers has 21 home runs for the Milwaukee Brewers.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

From not making the varsity at Marina High until his junior year to hitting 21 home runs this season for the Milwaukee Brewers to marrying the girl he met in 10th grade, Jake Bauers’ journey has been quite rewarding. He went four for four on Sunday at Dodger Stadium against the Dodgers.

Here’s a look after speaking with him last week at Petco Park.

Interesting nicknames

High schools sometimes come up with the strangest nicknames for their sports teams.

Now someone has come up with the 50 most interesting nicknames.

Here’s the report.

CIF media rights contract with PlayOn Sports and the NFHS Network.

(Los Angeles Times)

The CIF has reached agreement with PlayOn Sports, the owner of MaxPreps, the NFHS Network and GoFan, on a 10-year, $11.1 million broadcast rights deal.

Here’s the report.

Trouble at El Camino Real

El Camino Real players celebrate winning a 10th City Section baseball title at Dodger Stadium.

(Craig Weston)

As if replacing its executive director and assistant principal in charge of athletics wasn’t enough summer drama for El Camino Real, now the school has put on leave multiple coaches and launched an investigation over a dispute about first-aid cards and why they couldn’t be found in the Red Cross database.

Here’s the report.

Notes . . .

Multiple El Camino Real coaches have been placed on administrative leave because of a school investigation. The school has been in turmoil since the summer when the executive director and assistant principal in charge of athletics were both ousted. Here’s the report.…

Former Crespi pitcher Tim Leveque is the interim pitching coach for the Angels….

La Mirada Junior Little League won the World Series championship, beating Taipei 6-3 on a 10th-inning three-run home run from Jaylen Valdez, who is one of seven players on the team already enrolled as freshmen at La Mirada High….

Infielder Ian Nunez from La Mirada has committed to Cal State Northridge….

St. Bernard will be getting a new all-weather turf field in 2027….

Linebacker Ezekiel Su’a of Mater Dei has committed to Dartmouth….

Catcher Maddie Schepp from Torrance has committed to Fresno State softball….

Jaylee Moore of Etiwanda has committed to Hawaii for women’s basketball….

Arcadia will not use its longtime nickname Apaches this school year as it transitions to a different mascot after a new state law. It will use only Arcadia this year.

From the archives: Cody Fajardo

Former Servite quarterback Cody Fajardo has found a home in the Canadian Football League. He was MVP of the Grey Cup in 2023 in leading the Montreal Alouettes to the championship. He’s with the Edmonton Elks, his fifth team. This season, he’s completing 70% of his passes.

The 34-year-old helped Servite win the 2009 Southern Section Division 1 championship, then became starting quarterback at Nevada. He’s always been known for his ability to pass and run while showing toughness.

Here’s a story from 2009 on Fajardo’s magic as a high school quarterback.

Here’s a story from 2023 after he won the Grey Cup.

Recommendations

From MLB.com, a story on former Thousand Oaks shortstop Jacob Wilson setting a major league record with 111 consecutive games without making an error.

Tweets you might have missed

Until next time….

Have a question, comment or something you’d like to see in a future Prep Rally newsletter? Email me at eric.sondheimer@latimes.com, and follow me on Twitter at @latsondheimer.

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Mater Dei and Sierra Canyon have been the two best high school girls’ volleyball teams in the Southland the last several years and the likelihood is high that they will meet in the Southern Section Division 1 finals for a third consecutive season.

Mater Dei won the state Open Division championship in November, led by four seniors now suiting up for NCAA Division I programs — setter Sam Capinpin at Cal State Bakersfield, libero Lizzy Robinson at Oregon and middle blocker Addison Coady and outside hitter Layli Ostovar (the 2025 Gatorade California player of the year) at USC.

The Monarchs won the Queen’s Court Invitational (the last preseason warmup tournament) in Irvine at the start of the month and boast one of their deepest rosters in coach Dan O’Dell’s 14 seasons thanks to five elite transfers: senior opposite hitter Katherine Nowak from JSerra; junior outside hitter/defensive specialist Sienna Cicero from Orange Lutheran; junior middle blocker Reagan Williams from Sunny Hills; junior outside hitter Janiah Burrage from Rancho Christian and senior middle hitter (and Long Beach State commit) Saaliyah Brown from Etiwanda, all of whom are eager to contribute once the mandatory sit-out period ends Sept. 13.

Sierra Canyon senior Kendall Omoruyi, right, is one of the top middle blockers in the country.

(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)

In a matchup of reigning state champions, Mater Dei prevailed in five sets over Harvard-Westlake in its Aug. 11 season opener, and it was no surprise that UCLA-bound senior hitter Westley Matavao made her presence felt with 16 kills, 19 digs and six aces. California commit Emma Kingston added 13 kills and three blocks as setting duties were shared by senior Kalea Lee (24 assists) and junior Riley Stringer (20 assists).

“It’s great to start out playing a team that’s just as competitive as us — it’s good prep for what we can expect all season,” said Matavao, who recorded 405 kills, 177 digs, 37 aces and 32 blocks a year ago. “This teaches us to not be laid back, to keep our foot on the gas. I think we’re better than last season because we have more versatility.”

Making an immediate influence was freshman Jimin Seung, who ended the first point of the season with a kill and finished with 10. On a team with 11 seniors, Seung is fitting right in with a fearless attitude and competitive drive.

“It was nerve-racking, but knowing our team is one, the nervousness turns to confidence,” Seung said. “I came to Mater Dei because it’s the place that felt most like home and I wanted to grow in my religion. I’ve only known Westley a few weeks and she’s already like a big sister to me. She’s a senior and I’m a freshman, but we have a lot in common because we play the same position.”

Mater Dei coach Dan O’Dell guided the Monarchs to the CIF State Open Division championship in 2025.

(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)

Though Mater Dei has superior depth, Sierra Canyon has a more experienced starting lineup — a nucleus of All-Americans consisting of Missouri-bound setter Lucky Fasavalu, Nebraska-bound middle Kendall Omoruyi and a trio of outside hitters in Eva Jeffries (Tennessee), Hanna McGinest (Texas Tech) and McKenna McIntosh (USC).

Filling the last rotation spot will be Isabella Torres-Wallace from ICL Academy; fellow sophomore middle Cassie Smith and junior Raneighla Gonzalez, who transferred from Heritage Christian last year but got hurt and played in only two sets. The top back row options for coach Stefanie Wigfall, who will likely pass the 400-win mark this season, are senior Olive Shum and Mira Costa transfer Blake Gurney.

Sierra Canyon, which beat Mater Dei to win its second section title in four years last fall, finished fifth at Queen’s Court without Fasavalu, Omoruyi and McGinest, who led the team a year ago with a combined 469 kills, 265 digs, 29 blocks and 28 aces. The Trailblazers beat Kahuku (Hawaii), Mira Costa, JSerra, San Juan Hills, Palos Verdes, Harvard-Westlake and Cornerstone Christian (San Antonio) to reach the finals of the Ann Kang Invitational in Honolulu. They then rallied past host Iolani, 18-25, 25-11, 15-9, in Saturday’s championship match to win the prestigious tournament for the first time.

Lucky Fasavalu helped lead Sierra Canyon to the Southern Section Division 1 title in 2025.

(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)

Division I state champion Harvard-Westlake got 12 kills each from sophomore Brooke Cotter and Boston College-bound Ruby Sampson and 11 from Princeton commit Sophia Cotter against Mater Dei. Last year the Wolverines finished third in the Mission League behind Sierra Canyon and Marymount, which has lost five Division I players to graduation — Sammy Destler (Washington), Elle Vandeweghe (Southern Methodist), Declan Eastman (Rice), Olivia Penske (Georgetown) and Frankie Jones (Brown) — but brings back Northwestern commit Makenna Barnes, setter/hitter Leighton Devereux and Katelyn Oerlemans, a middle/opposite hitter committed to Stanford for beach volleyball.

Challenging Mater Dei in the Trinity League will be Santa Margarita, which won the Southern Section Division 2 title last year behind player of the year Ireland Real, a Texas commit who pounded more than 400 kills and had 150 digs.

Mira Costa will be led by senior captains Brynn Barry (libero), Lerin Rosenthal (setter, opposite) and Allyn Hilt (outside hitter) but will have to overcome the loss of setter Milly McGee (USC) and hitters Audrey Flanagan (Wisconsin) and Simone Roslon. Bay League rival Redondo Union is in a similar circumstance, having to replace hitter Abby Zimmerman (Cal), twins Avery and Addi Junk (Florida State) and middle blocker Taylor Boice (UC Irvine). Cypress graduated CIF-SS Division 3 player of the year Isabella Faro.

Defending champion Palisades and Taft, which lost to the Dolphins in the Open Division semifinals last fall, are the preseason favorites in the City Section.

Matavao relished a chance to face her cousin Fasavalu (the CIF-SS Division 1 player of the year) in the finals again: “I think there’s a good chance we’ll see them again.”

Teams to watch: Mater Dei, Sierra Canyon, Marymount, Harvard-Westlake, JSerra, Santa Margarita, San Juan Hills, Mira Costa, Redondo Union, Newport Harbor, Los Alamitos, Long Beach Poly, Temecula Valley, Crean Lutheran, West Ranch.

Does Guimaraes complete the midfield? Can Arsenal finally win the Champions League? And who is set for a breakout season?

Arsenal begin their first Premier League title defence in 22 years on Friday with a home game against newly promoted Coventry.

The Gunners, who lost in the Champions League final on penalties last season, are also hoping this is the season they can finally be crowned champions of Europe.

So the English champions face plenty of key talking points before the season – here are the five key ones.

Can Arsenal successfully defend title for the first time in 90 years?

With major rivals City and Liverpool rebuilding under Enzo Maresca and Andoni Iraola respectively, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta’s methods are tested and trusted after ⁠nearly seven years at the helm.

His well-established side will be confident they can defy history and win back-to-back titles for the first time since 1935.

They have also strengthened their squad with a few key signings – not least bringing in Bruno Guimaraes to bolster the midfield and replacing the outgoing Leandro Trossard with a likely upgrade in Greek winger Christos Tzolis.

But centre-back William Saliba’s long-term back injury will be a big blow for a side that won the league while conceding just 27 goals.

And the Gunners’ reliance on set-pieces may face more scrutiny from referees this season after some rule changes and some contentious flashpoints last season.

“Now, we have to show that we belong to this level and we want to increase and take this football club to a different dimension,” Arteta said.

His side were certainly impressive in their first competitive game of the season, sending a clear message of intent to their rivals as they cruised to a 3-0 win over Manchester City in the Community Shield on Sunday.

Can Arsenal finally win the Champions League?

Arsenal are the club with the most European Cup/Champions League appearances in history without ever lifting the trophy – 226 games and counting – and last season’s final loss to PSG on penalties in Budapest will sting for a long time.

They had built the run to Budapest on defensive resilience, conceding only six goals in 14 European matches, and led through Kai Havertz inside six minutes. However, PSG equalised from the penalty spot and eventually won the shootout 4-3, with Gabriel Magalhaes missing the decisive kick.

PSG are now back-to-back champions chasing a three-peat, and Bayern Munich ran PSG very close in their semifinal. But Arteta’s side have shown they can compete with anyone in Europe – they just need to find that extra gear.

Does Guimaraes complete the midfield?

Arsenal’s marquee signing of the transfer window was Guimaraes from Newcastle for 75 million pounds ($101.5m). The versatile Brazilian captained his previous club and brings all-round quality and leadership to the Arsenal midfield, easing some of the pressure on Declan Rice, who struggled with injuries during the end of the season and at the World Cup.

Arteta seems to have little doubt that Guimaraes can adapt quickly to a title-defending side. He certainly slotted in well during the Community Shield win over City, impressing with some key tackles and spraying around some beautiful passes.

“He’s a warrior with a tremendous quality as well and intuition and leadership and charisma that is going to help us, that is going to really ignite something different in the team,” ‌Arteta said.

“He’s going to push everybody inside the team as well and that’s the type of player that we need.”

Can Gyokeres set up a level?

Arsenal fans were hoping that Viktor Gyokeres would be the club’s first reliable number nine for many years.

But while his first season delivered 14 Premier League goals and 21 in all competitions, it was a solid if unspectacular return.

With Arsenal having strengthened around him rather than bringing in competition up front, the pressure is on Gyokeres to kick on from a decent debut year into a prolific one.

Is Max Dowman set for a breakthrough season?

Dowman turned 16 in December, and the attacking midfielder scored a sensational stoppage-time winner against Everton in March to become the youngest scorer in Premier League history.

Arteta has been careful to strike a balance between exposure and protection, pointing to school commitments and workload management as much as footballing readiness in limiting Dowman’s appearances.

The youngster is likely to feature more in cup competitions this season, but if he performs to his apparent potential, Arteta may even feel compelled to play him in some of the biggest games of the season.

Program a reminder into his phone. Tie a string around his finger. Chant his name like a mantra: Moo-kie! Moo-kie! Moo-kie!

Whatever it takes to jog Mookie Betts’ memory, to remind him he’s Mookie freakin’ Betts.

Because this Dodgers’ three-peat campaign won’t succeed without his contributions at the plate.

The Dodgers lose the plot without the swagger they’re used to from the four-time champion in their midst.

They need Betts to be that right-handed hitter who will keep opposing pitchers honest in a lineup of lefty stars. To help them compensate without Will Smith’s dependable bat and without being able to depend on $240-million-man Kyle Tucker in games at home.

They need Betts to keep feeding his “hope meter.”

“I’m always trying to remind him who he is,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Wednesday before the Dodgers began a four-game series with the Milwaukee Brewers. “The guy standing 60 feet, 6 inches from him understands the baseball card, knows who’s in the box. And it’s important that [Betts] can’t forget that, regardless of what the scoreboard might say.”

That scoreboard has really not been helping.

All it’s been doing is serving an oppressive, jumbo-sized reminder every time Betts goes to bat of how un-Mookie-Betts-like he’s been for much of this season. Going into Saturday’s game against the Milwaukee Brewers, he has career lows in batting average (.239), on-base percentage (.295) and on-base-plus-slugging percentage (.709).

Unless, of course, this is Betts, now at 33, in his — unlucky? — 13th major league season and seventh as a Dodger? Father Time is inevitable.

But let’s remind ourselves: It’s better to be lucky than good, and that Betts has been unlucky, which is bad.

There was the oblique strain in early April that sidelined him for more than a month. Misfortune that brought back bad memories of last season’s mystery illness that caused Betts to lose nearly 20 pounds.

Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts (50) celebrates with teammates after hitting a home run against the Royals on Wednesday.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

And there’s the data since his return this season, Baseball Savant’s evidence of Betts’ bad rolls: His .278 expected batting average — the Statcast metric measuring the likelihood that a batted ball will become a hit — is .039 points higher than his actual batting average. That’s the third-largest discrepancy in the big leagues.

Also, Betts’ HardHit% this season — measuring the rate of hard-hit balls — of 38.8%, nearly a 3% increase from last season. His exit velocity (90.5 mph) is a mile and a half more than last season.

The game honors you, and the game tests you.

Early this month, a dejected Betts had as tough a time explaining to reporters why, despite hitting the ball hard and stacking disciplined at-bats, he’d had little to show for it. He hit only .205 in July, with a slugging percentage of .313.

“I’m gonna have to help the team at some point,” Betts said on Aug. 4. “It’s really hard, I’ve just never done this so I don’t really know how to get through it. Everyday I show up and try to restore that hope meter.

“But this is very hard.”

Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts throws the ball to first base for an out against the Royals on Wednesday.

(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)

That’s why Roberts has stayed on him, he said, reminding him who he is. And who Betts is, of course, is a former MVP and eight-time All-Star, a seven-time Silver Slugger and former batting champion. He’s a scratch-level bowler who made a virtually unprecedented shift from right field to shortstop in Year 11. There’s not a lot Betts hasn’t been able to do.

We got a glimpse of that guy in this recent nine-game stretch, when Betts hit .387 (12 for 31) with a .645 slugging percentage.

“For me,” Roberts said, “it’s just kind of how he’s carrying himself, really. … He’s always been good with not swinging at balls, swinging at strikes. So those components have been consistent. But, yeah, for me, it’s just I like the swagger, the demeanor.”

More like Mookie.

“He’s crucial,” Roberts said. “He’s got the experience, the talent, and he’s an emotional guy. I say that in the sense that when he’s going well, guys feed off that energy. And, when he’s not, you’re sort of trying to find it in him and get it in him.

“So when he’s going well like he has been this past series, guys feel good about it. So, it’s important … that he’s kind of found something to kind of hang his hat on.”

Put a sticky note in Betts’ locker. Better yet, stick his baseball card in there. Because the guy in the box should understand who the guy in the box is — regardless of what the scoreboard might say.

It’s right there in the medical books, along with Belsey fundoplication, Heineke-Mikulicz pyloroplasty and Keller’s excision arthroplasty: Tommy John surgery.

Purists might refer to it as ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, but the rest of the world knows it as the career-saving surgery named for a sore-armed left-handed Dodgers pitcher.

Tommy John was facing the bleak reality that his career was likely over when he ruptured a ligament in his left elbow on a summer night in 1974, an injury that had sent so many pitchers into an early retirement. But a then-radical surgery not only saved but revived his career, as well as the careers of hundreds of baseball players ranging from Tom Candiotti to John Smoltz to Shohei Ohtani in the 50 years since.

Always more famous for the surgical procedure than his career stats, John died Saturday, the Dodgers announced. He was 83.

“We are saddened to hear the news of Tommy John’s passing,” Dodgers president and CEO Stan Kasten said in a statement. “… Tommy was an exceptional pitcher throughout his career in Major League Baseball and his courageous role in becoming the first to have surgery that would go on to bear his name can’t be overstated. His impact both on and off the field has been felt by ballplayers of all ages and will be for generations to come.”

A good pitcher before the surgery with 124 wins in 12 seasons with three teams, he won 164 more afterward — only one fewer than Sandy Koufax during his entire career, he liked to point out — in 14 more seasons with four teams, finally retiring at 46 with a 288-231 record and a 3.34 earned-run average.

“Dr. Jobe made it so I could throw a baseball again,” John told The Times’ Sam Farmer in 2023 from his home in Sarasota, Fla. “After surgery, I never missed a start, and I even pitched out of the bullpen every once in a while.”

He pitched for the Dodgers and the Angels and had two successful stints with the New York Yankees but it was with the Dodgers that he had his greatest success, an 87-42 record and a 2.97 ERA, helping them to consecutive World Series appearances.

It was also as a Dodger that he had his history-making operation.

He came to the Dodgers in a trade from the Chicago White Sox in December 1971 with an 84-91 record, a good curveball and a less than intimidating fastball. Pitching coach Red Adams convinced him that precision location and ball movement were more effective than raw speed and John went 11-5 the following season. He also became well acquainted with orthopedist Frank Jobe, the team physician.

Late in the season, he jammed his left elbow sliding into home plate, jarring loose some bone chips. Jobe cleaned things up for John during the offseason.

Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda congratulates Tommy John after John shut out the Phillies during 1978 National League Championship Series.

(Associated Press)

Then in July 1974, by which time John had become a mainstay in the pitching rotation, he threw a pitch to Hal Breeden of the Montreal Expos that changed his life, and ultimately the lives of many others.

“Right at the point where I put force on the pitch, the point where my arm is back and bent, something happened,” he told Sports Illustrated. “It felt as if I had left my arm somewhere else. It was as if my body continued to go forward and my left arm had just flown out to right field, independent of the rest of me.

“I heard this thudding sound in my elbow, then I felt a sharp pain.”

John had ruptured the medial ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow, although he didn’t know that then. The pitch, of course, was nowhere near the strike zone and, despite the pain and in an effort to see if that was a fluke, he tried to throw another. It bounced off the plate, ending his outing and, for all anyone knew, his pitching career.

Jobe recommended total rest but after a month, with no sign of healing, he came up with an outside-the-box suggestion. Earlier, Jobe had grafted a tendon to a recovered polio patient’s ankle to provide stabilization. He thought maybe a tendon could be grafted to a pitcher’s elbow as well.

He gave John a grim choice: Do nothing and never pitch again, or try the surgery at 100-1 odds against success.

“I told Dr. [Frank] Jobe if you do your job I will do more than mine,” John told The Times last year. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time with the right doctor and team.”

So, on Sept. 25, 1974, Jobe took a tendon from John’s right arm, threaded it through holes he had drilled in John’s left elbow and hoped it all would work.

Nerve damage necessitated a second surgery several months later and the prospects were not promising. John’s left arm had atrophied, his hand now basically a claw, and two of his fingers were numb.

Even so, he began rehab, knowing he would miss the entire 1975 season. He taped the unfeeling fingers to the functioning ones so that he could grip a baseball, then, resembling “a little boy throwing against the steps of his back porch,” threw against a wall. He squeezed Silly Putty and strictly adhered to a physical therapy regimen.

By June 1975 he had regained the use of his entire hand and in late September pitched three innings in an exhibition game. He continued his routine through the offseason and into spring training, once joking, “When they operated on my arm, I asked them to put in a Koufax fastball. They did but it turned out to be Mrs. Koufax.”

Surprising many, who considered it at least a minor miracle, he was back in the rotation at the start of the 1976 season and went five innings in his first start, giving up five hits and three runs in a loss to the Braves in Atlanta. He finished the season at 10-10 with a 3.09 ERA, and if anyone was still wondering about his comeback, he put doubts to rest in 1977.

In one of his best seasons, he won 20 games, had a 2.78 ERA and finished second in National League Cy Young award voting for the pennant-winning Dodgers. In a 4-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies in the clinching Game 4 of the NL Championship Series — then a best-of-five format — John pitched a complete game, striking out eight in a 130-pitch effort.

Dodgers pitcher Tommy John celebrates after the final out in a 4-1 victory over the Phillies in Game 4 of the 1977 NLCS that clinched the pennant for the Dodgers.

(Associated Press)

He came back with a 17-victory season in ’78 and the Dodgers won the pennant again but again lost to the Yankees in the World Series, with John winning a game in both the NLCS and World Series. After the season, he signed with New York as a free agent.

He was an immediate hit with the Yankees, winning 21 games in 1979 and finishing second in the American League Cy Young voting, then won 22 in ’80. In 1981, the Yankees reached the World Series, once again facing the Dodgers — and John was at the center of the most controversial decision in the series that ultimately sealed New York’s fate.

John was the starter in Game 6 at Yankee Stadium with the Dodgers leading the series, 3-2. The left-hander had won Game 2, giving up three hits over seven innings in a 3-0 victory, and had completed four innings of one-run ball when Yankees manager Bob Lemon elected to pinch-hit for John with two runners on in a 1-1 game. ABC, which broadcast the World Series that year, showed John looking visibly upset and surprised as he paced the dugout.

Bobby Murcer flied out to right to end the inning, and the Dodgers would score eight runs over the next four innings against an ineffective Yankees bullpen to secure a 9-2 victory and win the franchise’s first World Series since 1965.

“At the time my reaction was, ‘why is he doing this?’ I was pitching fine and you don’t pull someone out in the fourth inning just because you need a hit at the time,” John said last year. “I was not happy, but that was so long ago in retrospect could we have won? I think so. Does it matter now? No.”

In John’s two stints with the Yankees — he had four seasons with the Angels in between — he was 91-60 with a 3.59 ERA.

And it was with the Yankees that he made the record book, in a way no player would ever want. He committed three errors in an inning, all on the same play during a game July 27, 1988.

With the Yankees leading the Milwaukee Brewers 4-0 and Jim Gantner on first for the Brewers, John charged a slow roller by Jeffrey Leonard to the first-base side of the mound. First, he bobbled the ball. Then, he sailed it past first baseman Don Mattingly, bouncing it off the right-field ballboy. Dave Winfield made a nice play on the ball and fired a strong throw home. It was on line and probably would have nailed the hustling Gantner but John cut it off, then threw wildly past catcher Don Slaught and into the Brewers’ dugout as Gantner scored.

John’s summation, according to Newsday? “I must have had a metal cup on. It glitched the ions in the air.”

After his playing days, John did some broadcasting, some minor league managing and became a strong advocate for suicide prevention after one of his sons took his own life. And after seeing many young pitchers, some still in their teens, undergo the surgery named for him, he spoke out against arm overuse, recommending less than year-round pitching by young arms.

But regardless of the context, John is forever linked to the operation that continues to be performed by orthopedic surgeons such as Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who began learning how to perform the procedure when he was a fellow at the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopedic Clinic in 1990 from Jobe himself. The two would operate together twice a week throughout the 1990s and were close friends until Jobe’s death in 2014.

“It should have been called the Frank Jobe operation,” ElAttrache told The Times in 2023. “But with Frank being the man he was, it was all about the person he was treating. It wasn’t about him.”

By ElAttrache’s estimation, he has performed the operation between 50 and 75 times per year over his career — including the two he has done on Ohtani, one in 2018 and one in 2023. And although ElAttrache has put his own signatures on the surgery — including a second graft to further fortify Ohtani’s elbow — the operation has remained largely the same since Jobe first performed it in 1974.

John is survived by his wife, Cheryl, and his children, Tommy, Travis and Tamara. A private celebration of his life will be held in Florida.

EXPLAINER

Man City, Liverpool and Chelsea all have new faces in the dugout as Arsenal attempt to defend title for first time in 90 years.

The 2026/27 Premier League season is set to kick off on August 21 as champions Arsenal host newly promoted Coventry.

It has been a busy preseason for many clubs, albeit truncated for some by the World Cup, and as always there are a number of tantalising questions as the new season begins in all its hope and anticipation.

Al Jazeera outlines the five most compelling storylines ahead of the opening game.

Arsenal defend Premier League title for first time since 2005

The Gunners go into the campaign as Premier League champions for the first time since their Invincibles era, bringing a different kind of pressure for Mikel Arteta’s squad. The last time the Gunners retained a league title was in 1935.

They will also be looking to go one better in Europe after reaching the Champions League final for the first time in 20 years last season, only to lose to PSG.

While Leandro Trossard has left for Besiktas, Arsenal have generally kept their squad intact and added to it with some promising signings – buying Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle, Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge, Illan Meslier on a free transfer, and making Piero Hincapie’s loan permanent. Guimaraes captained Newcastle and adds real leadership, steel and depth to the middle of the pitch.

Arsenal had the best defence in the league last year and the best record from set pieces – maintaining these attributes will be key.

Perhaps one area of uncertainty remains up front, where a convincing out-and-out striker remains elusive, despite the flashes of promise shown by Viktor Gyokeres and Gabriel Jesus.

New faces in the dugouts

Manchester City have appointed Enzo Maresca to replace Pep Guardiola, ending a glittering decade under the Catalan. Maresca previously worked as Guardiola’s assistant during City’s treble-winning season and now inherits the job of reinventing a team built entirely around one man’s philosophy. His fortunes may depend significantly on whether City can hold on to key midfielder Rodri amid interest from Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Maresca left Chelsea mid-season back in January, and the Blues have since turned to Xabi Alonso, a talented manager with a point to prove after he was sacked by Real Madrid last season. Whether Chelsea’s unpredictable owners give Alonso the freedom he needs to work could be a big factor in whether he succeeds at Stamford Bridge. He’s already made some interesting signings, such as bringing in Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa and the 35-year-old Danny Welbeck from Brighton.

Liverpool, meanwhile, go into the season under new boss Andoni Iraola after a wretched title defence under Arne Slot. The Spaniard will be tasked with making a coherent side out of the very talented but unsettled collection of individuals at Anfield, while also rebuilding after the departure of long-term stalwarts such as Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson.

Newcastle have appointed 38-year-old German coach Matthias Jaissle following Eddie Howe’s departure after nearly five years in charge. He inherits a squad that’s lost much of its spine over the preseason, with Guimaraes, Anthony Gordon, Sandro Tonali and Kieran Trippier all leaving.

Iraola’s move to Liverpool left a vacancy at Bournemouth, where the club has turned to Marco Rose, a former Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig coach.

World Cup hangover looms over the league

With the Premier League season starting just 33 days after the World Cup final, several of the league’s biggest clubs face a rough turnaround from international duty straight into a title race.

Manchester City sent 19 players to the tournament across 12 nations – the heaviest World Cup workload in the league – while Arsenal had 16 involved, raising questions about squad freshness for two of the sides most likely to be challenging for the title.

New rules target time-wasting and holding but ease up on hair-pulling

The Premier League has confirmed a set of new rules for 2026-27, targeting time-wasting and improving consistency around some of last season’s biggest flashpoints.

Players receiving on-field treatment must now stay off the pitch for a full minute, double the previous 30 seconds, while referees will apply a five-second countdown on delayed throw-ins and goal kicks – time-wasting beyond that means possession or a corner will be awarded to the opposition.

Holding and grappling at corners will also draw closer scrutiny, with penalties now more likely for defenders who impede attackers.

There’s a notable softening on hair-pulling too after three straight red cards for it last season – now deliberate pulls without “excessive force or brutality” will only merit a yellow.

Can Sunderland maintain their remarkable form?

Three years after playing in English football’s third tier, Sunderland finished seventh in the Premier League last season – qualifying for the Europa League.

It is an astonishing achievement for a club that spent close to a decade outside the top flight, with most newly promoted clubs battling for survival at the other end of the table.

Manager Regis Le Bris has built a talented squad, but sustaining this level of performance alongside the demands of European football is going to be tough – indeed, Sunderland are again among the favourites to go down.

When the doors to the emergency room in “The Pitt” swing open and a new patient arrives, we, like the doctors, are on high alert, wondering what the acclaimed medical drama is about to throw at us.

We know two things: The actors will be superb. And it’s best not to become too attached to the characters they’re playing.

Five of those actors earned Emmy nominations for Season 2 guest turns on “The Pitt” last month, a long-overdue return to the time when the guest categories regularly rewarded working actors doing exemplary work.

Even better: Two of the five “Pitt” nominees self-submitted their performances after HBO Max, looking to streamline its submissions in the guest categories, did not put them forward.

If you watched the second season of the show, you could probably name the actors who made the Emmys’ guest list: Tina Ivlev, heartbreaking as the sexual assault survivor; Brittany Allen, poignant as the dying mom; Tal Anderson, combative and funny as Dr. King’s neurodivergent sister, who craves independence from her protective sibling; Ernest Harden Jr., devastating as the doomed Louie; and Jeff Kober, who, playing Dr. Robby’s motorcycle mechanic, has some of the most affecting scenes in the season.

HBO Max entered Ivlev, Harden and Anderson, leaving Allen and Kober to pony up the $225 to submit themselves, joining the ranks of 84 entrants for guest actor and 51 for guest actress. (To be eligible to compete in guest, actors must appear in less than 50% of a show’s eligible episodes.) Eight other actors appearing on “The Pitt” also self-submitted.

“The three actors that HBO put forward delivered beautiful, human work that resonated deeply with audiences, and they were in a tough position having so many actors who had all delivered great performances,” Allen told me over a call from her Pasadena home.

“Though at first there was a moment of disappointment, I quickly moved on from that,” Allen continues. “I didn’t take it personally because as an actor, you get good at not taking things personally.”

Kober, calling from the Valley, signs off on that sentiment. He won a daytime Emmy in 2022 for “General Hospital” after he submitted himself.

“I guess that’s how the Emmys work for me,” he says, laughing. “I don’t know any other way.”

There is precedent for self-submission success at the Emmys. Three “Game of Thrones” cast members — Gwendoline Christie, Alfie Allen and Carice van Houten — entered themselves in 2019 and were nominated. Kelly Jenrette did the same in 2018 for “The Handmaid’s Tale” and earned a nod.

For Allen, it came down to believing in herself and the work she did on “The Pitt.” As her seven-episode arc aired, strangers often stopped her at her local Trader Joe’s and at the park with her 3-year-old son to tell her how moved they were by her performance and her character Roxie’s decision to accept that her life was coming to an end and say goodbye.

But, good as it was and seen as it was, that work didn’t translate into landing an agent. Having recently turned 40, Allen figured she had nothing to lose, having reached an age where she wasn’t “as worried about being perceived as the quiet little girl who doesn’t ruffle any feathers.”

In a challenging industry, that approach has resonated deeply with her peers.

“I’ve had similar moments in the past where I’ve had a memorable role on a high-profile show and I’ve thought, ‘Maybe this will make it a little easier moving forward’ and it hasn’t,” Allen says. “So if ever there was a time to go, ‘I’m going to try to put my name out there in a way that might make me a little more bankable,’ this is it.”

Kober, 72, has had ups and downs over the course of his 40-year acting career and like Duke, the grounded mentor he played on “The Pitt,” he possesses a calm acuity when talking about the profession.

“Acting is the most profoundly spiritual career a person could have because you don’t get into it unless you need approval, and then when you get that approval, you find it doesn’t do a thing for you,” Kober says. “Then you’ve got to find a way to do something with this thing you love that isn’t about getting approval. It’s only when you’re not working for that when you know the work matters.”

With his shoulder-length hair, goatee and go-with-the-flow manner, Kober gives off distinct vibes of another Jeff — Jeff “The Dude” Lebowski.

“I have heard that comparison made,” Kober says, smiling.

Both Kober and Allen express deep appreciation for “The Pitt” as a workplace where actors can come in and do the kind of work that they aspire to do, work that resonates with audiences and reminds them why they entered the profession in the first place.

“I love being on set,” Allen says, “so going to Warner Bros. every morning as the sun rose and watching that miniature city come to life and having the privilege of working in an environment that is so ripe for accessing truth and play and shared humanity was a gift. When Roxie came along, I saw it as the epitome of what I want to offer as an actor and as a person in this life.”

Because of her character’s fate, Allen will not be returning to “The Pitt.” The fate of Duke, diagnosed with a life-threatening ascending aortic aneurysm, is ambiguous. Dr. Robby encourages him to follow up with further tests, which Duke agrees to do if Robby promises to return from his sabbatical and let him take his Triumph Bonneville for a ride.

So … Duke’s coming back, right?

“One would think,” Kober says, hopeful. But then, he jokes that maybe there will be a line next season where someone in the ER says, “Did you hear about Duke? What a shame.”

“Or he could come back in Season 4, who knows,” Kober adds, noting he has heard nothing from the show’s producers. “One thing I’ve learned over the years as an actor is the importance of letting go. That’s the life of an actor.”

Anders Dreyer scored on a penalty kick in the 89th minute and CJ dos Santos finished off a clean sheet as San Diego FC pulled off a 1-0 victory over LAFC on Saturday night.

Dreyer scored the winner after a video review led to a hand-ball foul on LAFC defender Ryan Porteous. It was his eighth goal this season and his 27th in 53 career appearances.

Dreyer will be suspended for San Diego’s next match after picking up a red card in the seventh minute of stoppage time.

Dos Santos had three saves for San Diego (6-7-6) to earn his first shutout in six starts this season after posting 10 in 30 starts last year.

Hugo Lloris turned away one shot for LAFC (10-6-4), which had piled up 11 goals in its previous four matches.

LAFC’s Son Heung-min saw his four-match streak with a goal come to an end.

LAFC rallied from a two-goal deficit to earn a 2-2 draw in San Diego in April.

Dreyer scored on a PK in the 64th minute to help San Diego earn 1-1 road draw with Minnesota United last time out.

Up next for LAFC: at Colorado Rapids on Wednesday.

HOUSTON — Guilherme Santos scored on a first-half penalty kick and Jonathan Bond posted his fourth clean sheet in a row to help the Houston Dynamo beat the Galaxy 1-0 on Saturday night.

Bond did not need to make a save in running his scoreless streak to 372 minutes as Houston upped its unbeaten run to seven at 5-0-2. The 33-year-old notched his seventh shutout this season, matching his total from last year — his first with the Dynamo. Bond had four clean sheets in 89 starts with the Galaxy from 2021-23.

The Dynamo (11-6-2) are the hottest team in the Western Conference with a 9-2-2 record over their last 13 matches.

Santos scored his 12th goal this season — in the 21st minute — to put Houston in front for good. The PK was awarded after Galaxy defender John Nelson fouled Lawrence Ennali.

Defender Emiro Garces subbed in for Maya Yoshida to begin the second half and was tagged with a red card in the 58th minute, leaving the Galaxy a man down.

JT Marcinkowski had one save for the Galaxy (5-8-7), who dropped to 0-3-2 in their past five matches.

Houston’s Ibrahim Aliyu picked up two yellow cards in second-half stoppage time, leading to a red-card exit.

Hirving “Chucky” Lozano subbed into the match in the second half in his first appearance with the Galaxy after posting nine goals and 10 assists in 27 appearances with San Diego FC last season.

Galaxy midfielder Elijah Wynder left with an injury in the 54th minute and was replaced by Isaiah Parente.

Up next for the Galaxy: vs. San José Earthquakes at Dignity Health Sports Park on Wednesday.

Doc Rivers needed some time to write the speech that he’ll give when formally inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Saturday.

The storytelling, that part was easy. He’s a natural at that.

But what Rivers wound up learning during the trial-and-error process of speechwriting was that the words he’ll say from a stage in Springfield, Mass., aren’t going to be about him. They’re going to be about everyone else who played a role in him getting to that moment.

“You go through this journey of writing it and you realize it has nothing to do with you in a very good way,” Rivers said. “People are happy for you, and I am happy for them because they got me there. You hear all your life, ‘You don’t do anything alone.’ When you get in the Hall of Fame, you really understand that you don’t do anything alone. It’s all the coaches in your life, your parents, the players. It’s a thankful journey and that’s what the Hall of Fame should be about.”

Numbers prove he’s among best

A winner of 1,194 regular-season games as an NBA coach — and that’ll be all, he insists, saying his retirement is a real one — Rivers ranks sixth in league history. The only others ahead of him: Gregg Popovich, Don Nelson, Lenny Wilkens, Jerry Sloan and Pat Riley, all of whom are Hall of Famers, so it was obviously a lock that Rivers would be joining them.

He won a championship with Boston in 2008, won 114 playoff games as a coach, played 13 seasons, was an All-Star once, has been a broadcaster and — if he goes back to work, and his family currently has a pool that he will — he’ll be a broadcaster again.

But there’s more to life now. The Illinois native and Marquette legend has seven grandchildren, a house on the water and can’t play enough golf. He’ll still be involved in the game, somehow. It just won’t be as a coach. It’ll be as a Hall of Famer.

“Doc is a proven, extraordinary leader and communicator during his renowned NBA coaching career,” Milwaukee general manager Jon Horst said when the Bucks hired Rivers in 2024. “As a championship coach, he’s widely respected as an established innovator, and the right coach to lead our experienced and talented team.”

He was, until he wasn’t.

Injuries derailed every chance the Bucks had at being a winner last season, and when the season came to its dismal close Rivers was fairly certain it was the end for him as well — after 27 seasons on the sideline, and whole lot of missed moments along the way.

“The one thing that people have no idea about is the toll it takes on you and the family component,” Rivers said. “It is rough. You’re never home. You make sacrifices and your family has to make them as well.”

That won’t be an issue now.

A hit from the beginning

Rivers won coach of the year in his first season, taking a team he called “the 301s” in Orlando and leading it to a 41-41 record. On the surface, there’s nothing special about going .500. But the Magic were supposed to be bottom dwellers that season and Rivers used a preseason ranking of the league’s top 300 players as inspiration — since none of those top 300 were playing for the Magic.

“That season gave me great confidence,” Rivers said.

He has some regrets, of course. Critics have long pointed to the 10 losses that Rivers-coached teams had in Game 7s, by far the most of any coach in NBA history. And his fans will retort by pointing to his 114 playoff wins, fourth-most in NBA history. But the biggest do-over, if Rivers had such an option, would be changing his mind about leaving the Celtics for the Clippers in 2013.

Rivers got to the Clippers not long before the end of Donald Sterling’s ownership of the team; Sterling made racist comments and was banned by NBA commissioner Adam Silver.

“I underestimated what a great situation I was in, and I took that for granted, like you can just go anywhere and create that,” Rivers said. “I messed that one up. But then when I go to the Clippers, the team is pretty damn good. The organization, it was the worst organization in sports with the ownership problem. Within a week there, I remember telling my assistant, ‘We’ve got a lot to do here.’ ”

The championship with the Celtics in 2008 — Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, the stars of that team, will be together again to present their former coach for his Hall enshrinement — was an obvious high point for Rivers’ career. There were other moments he’s particularly proud of as well, such as delivering on a promise that he made to someone who barely played for him.

Tyronn Lue succeeded Rivers as coach of the Clippers. Lue played 11 games for Rivers in Orlando during the 2003-04 season; that was all the time it took for Rivers to be convinced that Lue would one day be a coach. He told Lue to call him if he ever wanted a job and Lue took him up on it. Rivers wound up going to the Hall of Fame, and few within the game would be surprised if Lue joins him there one day.

“It’s the stories like that that you think about,” Rivers said. “Rajon Rondo played for me in Boston. We had a very tumultuous relationship when I coached him and now, I probably talk to Rondo more than probably than any player that I coached.”

It’s what the game does, Rivers said. The lucky ones get guided along the way. He played that role with players like Rondo — who coached with Rivers — and Lue, and in Rivers’ own case, it was Riley who gave him the push he needed.

Riley and Rivers clashed at times during their player-coach relationship, and their biggest fights came when Riley was telling Rivers that he belonged in coaching.

Riley was right.

“When I was doing TV, he kept writing and sending me these freaking messages about getting into the fray,” Rivers said. “He knew it. And here I am, going into the Hall of Fame.”

Reynolds writes for the Associated Press.

Marvel’s new X-Men are ready for their close-up — finally. The cast of the upcoming superhero film took the stage together for the first time Friday night during the Disney Entertainment Showcase at D23.

Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige capped off his portion of the presentation by formally introducing Sadie Sink, whose role in “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” had been kept under wraps before its release, as Jean Grey. Then, along with “X-Men” director Jake Schreier, they welcomed the rest of the cast.

Joining Sink in “X-Men” are Kit Connor as Cyclops, Christopher Abbott as Professor Charles Xavier, Samara Weaving as Emma Frost, Inde Navarrette as Rogue and Maya Boyd as Storm. Adam Driver, who appeared at the event in a recorded video bit, will be playing Nathaniel Milbury, better known to fans as Mr. Sinister.

“X-Men” is expected to hit theaters May 5, 2028.

Held at the Honda Center, the Disney Entertainment Showcase is one of the marquee presentations of the three-day D23 fan event where the various arms of Walt Disney Studios — including Lucasfilm, Pixar and Disney Animation — take the stage to promote their upcoming film and television projects. New CEO Josh D’Amaro received a rock star’s welcome from the more than 12,000 Disney faithful attending this year’s showcase, which was emceed by “Zootopia 2” stars and self-proclaimed “super fans” Ke Huy Quan and Ginnifer Goodwin.

Among the stars tapped to help promote their upcoming projects were Anne Hathaway (“Princess Diaries 3”); Joe, Kevin and Nick Jonas (“Camp Rock 3”); Benjamin Bratt (“Coco 2” and “Kingdom Hearts IV”); Kathryn Hahn (“Tangled”); Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans and Hayley Atwell (“Avengers: Doomsday”); Ryan Gosling (“Star Wars: Starfighter”); and Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel and Josh Gad (“Frozen III”).

Here are the biggest reveals and takeaways from Disney’s studios showcase.

Marvel’s television future remains unclear

As expected, Marvel Studios turned its spotlight to “VisionQuest,” the upcoming Disney+ series starring Paul Bettany (Vision) and James Spader (Ultron). Picking up after the events of “WandaVision,” the show will see Vision “beginning to ask rather more complicated questions” about his identity and humanity, according to Bettany.

After several movie announcements at San Diego Comic-Con last month, fans had been anticipating Marvel’s D23 presentation would focus on its series slate. But “VisionQuest” was the only TV show represented at the event. (Marvel’s presentation also included a new “Avengers: Doomsday” clip and a mention of the upcoming game “Marvel’s Wolverine.”)

The lack of new series announcements, along with the recent cancellation of “Wonder Man” Season 2 and reports that Marvel is cutting back on live-action Disney+ shows, has cast a shadow on the MCU’s TV future. “VisionQuest” will premiere Oct. 14.

‘Star Wars’ fans still love Hayden Christensen

Lucasfilm President Dave Filoni brought the cast and creatives of “Ahsoka” Season 2 and “Star Wars: Starfighter” for his portion of the showcase, along with new footage from both projects.

When “Ahsoka” star Rosario Dawson invited Hayden Christensen (Anakin Skywalker) and Eman Esfandi (Ezra Bridger) to join her on stage, fans had an especially warm welcome for the prequel trilogy star.

“As always, it is such an honor to get to play Anakin Skywalker,” said Christensen. “In this new season. Anakin continues to advise Ahsoka. He challenges her and pushes her to answer the most important question in her life: Are you or are you not a Jedi?”

“Star Wars: Starfighter” director Shawn Levy, left, and Ryan Gosling, who is showing the symbol of his character Kade on his jacket.

(Kevin Mazur / Getty Images for Disney)

Director Shawn Levy and Ryan Gosling were on hand to discuss “Star Wars: Starfighter,” which will be set during a time period in the galaxy far, far away that has not yet been shown before. Gosling plays Kade Auberon, a Starfighter pilot (and possible mechanic), in the standalone film that will be set some time after the sequel trilogy.

Disney is leaning on the magic of nostalgia in live-action and animation

Mira Sorvino, right, and Lisa Kudrow appeared onstage as Romy and Michele, respectively, to tease their sequel.

(Jesse Grant / Getty Images for Disney)

Much of Disney’s studio showcase focused on sequels of franchises past and present. “Romy and Michele 2” (2027) stars Lisa Kudrow and Mira Sorvino showed up in character to tease their upcoming sequel to the much-loved 1997 original, proclaiming they were now Disney princesses.

“Princess Diaries” star Anne Hathaway made an appearance to reassure fans the team was hard at work to make sure “Princess Diaries 3” was getting done right, while “Camp Rock” stars Joe, Kevin and Nick Jonas came to plug “Camp Rock 3” and its new stars. A brief first-look teaser for the live action “Tangled” (2028) concluded on a shot of Kathryn Hahn as Mother Gothel calling out to Rapunzel, right before the “Agatha All Along” star took the stage.

Even one of Disney’s oldest characters is getting a revival, thanks to filmmaker Jon Favreau. The “Mandalorian and Grogu” director shared a first look at his miniseries, “Oswald the Lucky Rabbit,” a hybrid live-action and hand-drawn 2D animated show expected to hit Disney+ in February.

On the animation side, Pixar’s Pete Doctor came armed with news about “Incredibles 3” (2028) and “Coco 2” (2029), while Disney Animation’s Jared Bush announced “Zootopia 3” before turning it over to “Frozen III” (2027).

According to Benjamin Bratt, who is returning to voice Ernesto de la Cruz, “Coco 2” is set some time in the future, where a teenage Miguel is sent back to the land of the dead for another adventure. “Frozen III,” meanwhile, will see Anna and Kristoff finally get married before the sisters meet a mysterious stranger who also wields ice magic. Olaf is also expected to find love.

The event also featured teases for “Ice Age: Boiling Point” (2027), “The Bluey Movie” (2027) and a “Kingdom Hearts” anime series.

But don’t worry, Pixar and Disney are still making original movies

Billie Doe (Hailee Steinfeld) and Beef Roger Crummchuk (Walton Goggins) in “Hexed.”

(Disney)

Fans of animated originals can rest assured that both Pixar and Disney Animation have new stories on the way. In addition to “Hexed,” a magical coming-of-age adventure about a young girl named Billie who discovers she’s a witch that will hit theaters Nov. 25, Disney Animation announced “Clay” for 2028. According to Jared Bush, “Clay” is a story about a mentor and student named Flip and Mushi.

“I believe that new stories, new characters, new worlds are vital to the future of Disney Animation,” said Bush.

Pixar, meanwhile, announced “Ghost Market” will hit theaters in 2028. Set in Hawaii, “Ghost Market” will follow a young content creator named Kyle who encounters hungry ghosts. The studio also has “Gatto,” from “Luca” director Enrico Casarosa, on deck for 2027.

The last time Real Madrid went two consecutive seasons without a major trophy (2008-2010), they eschewed Galacticos and brought in Jose Mourinho who built the team from the back.

So after the last two trophyless seasons, they brought Mourinho back.

That means ultra-conservative tactics, plus a slew of central defenders and outside backs, not something that would normally excite Madridistas.

But even a superstar-studded attack does not work without a solid, veteran back line.

Welcome, then, Marc Cucurella, Denzel Dumfries, Ibrahima Konate. But Real Madrid President Florentino Perez did not forget about scoring goals.

He also added Yan Diomande and Bernardo Silva to an attack featuring Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior, along with Brahim Diaz, Endrick, Arda Guler and Rodrygo.

Recent failures aside, Real Madrid remains ambitious. Los Blancos expect to compete for both the Champions League title and La Liga.

Perez is not going to easily give in to Paris Saint-Germain’s newfound Champions League pre-eminence, or Barcelona’s attempt at a La Liga three-peat.

Real Madrid tops the Champions League charts with 15 titles, and has won La Liga 36 times, seven more than Barca.

Al Jazeera takes a look at the key questions before the new season for Real Madrid.

Second time a charm at Real Madrid for Jose Mourinho?

Mourinho’s first Real Madrid stint followed a two-year trophy drought, and the solution worked, sort of. The Portuguese won La Liga once and reached three Champions League semifinals from 2011-13.

Improvement, but not what the Merengues were looking for when Mourinho arrived on the heels of capturing the 2010 Champions League with Inter Milan.

These days, Mourinho’s stock has not exactly risen, and he is still looking for another Champions League success. But after last season’s coaching fiasco – Xavi Alonso being replaced by Alvaro Arbeloa mid-season – Perez is apparently hoping conservatism and discipline will bring out the best in the most expensive roster in La Liga.

The preseason presented a preview of Mourinho-ball, with Real Madrid winning the Trofeo Teresa Herrera last week. So, Los Blancos carried off a rather bulky trophy, though not a major one.

And the 1-0 victory over Deportivo A Coruna was classified as a preseason friendly, complete with 19 substitutions. They were, though, playing to win at all costs, judging by Antonio Rudiger’s first-half hip-check that sent Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang flying.

Good transfer business for Real Madrid?

Madridistas expected the arrival of a high-profile transfer, such as Alessandro Bastoni, Achraf Hakimi, Michael Olise, or Vitinha – not to mention Rodri. That did not happen, but the newcomers provide upgrades that could make a difference.

Cucurella, replacing Ferland Mendy, brings guile and tactical savvy, supporting Vinicius Junior on the left. He also happens to be Real Madrid’s only World Cup winner with Spain’s national team.

Dumfries might not compare with Hakimi, but he presents an alternative to Trent Alexander-Arnold. The Dutch defender is a dependable, physical right back, who captured two Serie A scudetti and reached two Champions League finals with Inter.

Silva contributes composure, and his ability to settle the midfield fills a need lacking since the departure of Luka Modric. Konate provides physicality and recovery ability in central defence, and could challenge Dean Huijsen and Rudiger for a starting spot.

Diomande burst onto the scene with Red Bull Leipzig and starred for Ivory Coast in the World Cup. Diomande was “discovered” in northern Florida in the United States by Leganes last year, after being passed over in Major League Soccer tryouts.

He earned a 125 million euro ($144.5m) transfer that could be considered excessive, as rival suitors dropped from the scene, leaving Real Madrid to essentially bid against itself. Real Madrid will hope the investment in Diomande pays dividends, as he resembles a dynamic, younger version of Vinicius Junior, and can perform on either wing.

A number 9 for Real Madrid, anybody?

Endrick wears the number 9, but does not fit the profile of a hold-up striker. Nor does Mbappe, though he has made the position his own. Endrick, 20, failed to meet expectations after arriving on a 47.5 million euro ($54.9m) transfer from Palmeiras. He ended up on loan to Olympique Lyon, scoring five times, including a hat-trick against Metz.

At 6-foot-4-inches, Carlos Espi represents Mourinho’s conception of the number-9 role. The 21-year-old lacks experience but showed promise with Levante, converting 11 goals last season.

Perez, though, is sticking with his investment in Endrick. Last year, he let Nico Paz go to Como, and, this year, Gonzalo Garcia to Fulham.

Two go-to guys, but not enough goals?

Few can match Mbappe’s ability to stretch defences and finish.

Last season, Mbappe totalled 42 goals, plus another 10 for France in the World Cup. But should Mbappe be a lone striker, or should he be breaking down defences on the wing?

As for Vinicius Junior, his effectiveness on the left wing is unquestioned. The problem has been capitalising on the talent of Mbappe and Vinicius Junior. Despite Mbappe’s goal explosion, Real Madrid’s La Liga totals declined from 87 in 2023-24 to 78 the next season and 77 last season.

In the past, Mourinho’s forwards have sacrificed scoring to concentrate on defending. Not exactly what Mbappe or Vinicius Junior signed up for, but Mbappe indicated he is ready to go along with the programme in an interview with Real Madrid TV. Mourinho, Mbappe said, “is a coach that knows how to win.”

Time for Bellingham to go on the offensive?

As a 20-year-old, just arrived from Borussia Dortmund, Bellingham converted 10 goals in his first 12 La Liga games in 2023. Bellingham’s scoring tailed off after that, and he’s fallen into a complementary role in midfield. But after a breakout World Cup, maybe Bellingham will reassert himself as an attacking midfielder.

Performing for England, Bellingham ignited the offence, driving through the midfield, setting up teammates, and also converting seven goals. He also displayed leadership qualities, rallying the team in difficult conditions in Mexico City and leading a comeback against Norway.

Bellingham has plenty of midfield support at Real Madrid, playing alongside Aurelien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde. But will Mourinho allow Bellingham to go forward at will, as he did prior to the arrival of Mbappe, or have him thinking defence first?

What about Arda Guler?

Guler was a regular from last season’s opener on; his 51 appearances were second on the team to Vinicius Junior’s 53. And Guler is expected to be a sure starter this season. The arrival of Silva, though, could create a squeeze for playing time.

Mourinho favours experienced players, and also appears to be on a wavelength with Silva, partly because of their Portuguese backgrounds. Guler can be spectacular, breaking past opponents on the dribble, sparking the attack. But the threat of a reduced role has led to reports that Guler is considering a return to Fenerbahce.

Atlanta Falcons edge rusher James Pearce Jr. will be suspended for the first eight games of the 2026 season for violating the league’s personal conduct policy, the league announced Friday.

Pearce was arrested in February following a domestic dispute with his ex-girlfriend and WNBA player, Rickea Jackson. The incident took place in Doral, Fla.

Pearce’s charges of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, fleeing police and resisting arrest, and misdemeanor stalking could be dropped if he cooperates in a pretrial intervention program requiring random drug tests, distance from Jackson and staying out of legal trouble for one year.

Pearce will be available to participate in preseason games and all team activities until the suspension takes effect on Sunday, Aug. 30.

The second-year defensive end can be reinstated on Monday, Nov. 2, following Atlanta’s Week 8 road game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Falcons are set to play the Cincinnati Bengals in Madrid, Spain, the following week.

The Falcons’ pass rush has taken a hit recently following Jalon Walker’s season-ending ACL tear. The group is left with Christian Harris, JD Bertrand, Samson Ebukam, Kendal Daniels and Bralen Trice. The Falcons also added Cameron Sample after Walker’s injury.

Atlanta traded back to the No. 26 pick in the first round of the 2025 draft to select Pearce. The former Tennessee Volunteer has played a substantial role in transforming the Falcons’ pass rush, leading the team with 10½ sacks during his rookie season.

Other suspensions

Pearce was one of four suspensions the NFL handed out on Friday.

The NFL also suspended Commanders edge rusher Dorance Armstrong, Tennessee Titans safety Nazeeh Johnson and Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Phidarian Mathis.

Armstrong was suspended one game for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy. He will miss the Commanders season-opening game against Philadelphia on Sept. 13.

Armstrong opened training camp on the physically unable to perform list, but has since been activated to resume practicing. He was limited to playing seven games last season before tearing a knee ligament.

He’s entering his ninth NFL season, and third with Washington.

Johnson was suspended six games for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancers. Mathis was issued a three-game suspension for violating the league’s substances of abuse policy.

Under league rules, the players are allowed to practice and play with their respective teams through Aug. 30, when NFL teams are required to set their 53-player rosters.

Johnson is eligible to return for the Titans’ home game against Cleveland on Oct. 25. Mathis can return for Buffalo’s home game against New England on Oct. 4.

Johnson has three previous seasons of NFL experience, all with the Kansas City Chiefs, and signed with the Titans on July 27, just before the opening of training camp.

The 28-year-old had six starts in 29 NFL games with the Chiefs since being selected by Kansas City in the seventh round of the 2022 draft. A shoulder injury limited Johnson to appearing in just two games last season. He also missed the entire 2023 season with a torn ACL in his right knee.

The 28-year-old Mathis appeared in six games with the Bills last season. He spent his first three NFL seasons appearing in 23 games with Washington.

Carey writes for the Associated Press.

A new young adult series has entered the chat.

“Sterling Point” has all the hallmarks of your usual YA obsession — yearning, an awkward love triangle, a lack of adult supervision, an enviable waterfront setting and complicated friendships. Unlike most other YA series of the moment, it’s an original story that isn’t based on a book. Created by Megan Park, the writer-director behind Sundance hit “My Old Ass” and an actor with roots in the coming-of-age circuit in shows like “The Secret Life of the American Teenager,” the heartfelt drama centers heavily on the complex relationship between two teens who discover they’re half sisters after a death exposes a deep family secret.

It’s the latest series helping Prime Video step further into its WB/The CW era as a go-to destination for younger audiences, joining hits that include “The Summer I Turned Pretty,” “Every Year After,” “We Were Liars” and “Off Campus.” Not to show my millennial wrinkles, but unless the streamer invests in a campaign that evokes the spirit of late ‘90s marketing push known as “The Faces of WB,” what’s even the point of it all? Until then, in this week’s Guest Spot, we spoke with Park about the series that has teen drama enthusiasts hooked.

Also in this week’s Screen Gab, our writers recommend a six-part British television drama that recounts the tragic 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 and a 2007 stoner comedy directed by Gregg Araki that will help you mellow out and pregame this weekend’s latest addition to the genre. — Yvonne Villarreal

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Recommendations from the film and TV experts at The Times

Phyllis Logan, left, Molly Geddes and Cora Bissett in “The Bombing of Pan Am 103.”

(Netflix)

“The Bombing of Pan Am 103” (Netflix)

Admittedly, I didn’t know a lot about the Pan Am flight disaster that this miniseries depicts, but I’m glad that’s no longer the case. This BBC production (it debuted in the U.K. last year) depicts the stories of American and Scottish investigators who spent more than a decade combing through evidence, clues and tips to bring justice to the families affected by the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103. In 1988, the commercial jetliner was transporting 259 people, including 190 Americans, when it exploded over the skies of Lockerbie, Scotland, killing everyone on board and 11 Scots on the ground. Until the events of Sept. 11, 2001, it was one of the most lethal acts of air terrorism, according to the FBI. In the series, we see the gravity of the disaster, but also a deep layer of humanity, showing how Lockerbie and its citizens were irrevocably changed, yet their compassion never wavered, whether for each other or the victims’ families, who formed a lasting bond in an unlikely place. The main characters in the show are based on real-life people: Connor Swindells is DS Ed McCusker, who helped lead the investigation in Scotland; Patrick J. Adams is FBI Agent Dick Marquise, who led the American investigation; and the brilliant Merritt Wever is Kathryn Turman, a tireless advocate whose work led to reforms and services for families of victims. Be prepared to watch with a box of tissues. — Maira Garcia

Anna Faris, John Krasinski, center, Michael Shamus Wiles in 2007’s “Smiley Face.”

(Lacey Terrell / First Look Pictures)

“Smiley Face” (Prime Video)

This has been a stand-out summer for highbrow discourse about Homeric adaptations. As a reward, let’s get stupid with Gregg Araki’s 2007 stoner flick “Smiley Face,” a giddy, silly romp about a slacker (Anna Faris) whose troubles start when she snarfs a plate of pot cupcakes for breakfast. Her misadventures treat us to a tour of L.A. — from a Hollywood casting office to the Venice Beach boardwalk, with a pit stop at a meat-packing plant in El Monte. Even better, it’s a tour de force performance from Faris, who plays an impulsive mess with the fearlessness of a clown leaping into a kiddie pool of pudding. She deserved to make a dozen more movies just like it. (The “Scary Movie” franchise only halfway counts.) If “Smiley Face” gives you the munchies for a great new comedy, check out “The Wrong Girls” with Kristen Stewart and Alia Shawkat and Araki’s latest farce, “I Want Your Sex,” which stars a ferociously funny Olivia Wilde. — Amy Nicholson

Guest spot

A weekly chat with actors, writers, directors and more about what they’re working on — and what they’re watching

Ella Rubin and Amélie Hoeferle in “Sterling Point.”

(Prime Video)

The enemies-to-lovers romance trope in a teen drama? It’s been done. “Sterling Point” anchors its premise on an enemies(ish)-to-sisters storyline. The coming-of-age drama opens with 17-year-old twins, Annie Jacobson (Ella Rubin) and her twin brother Connor (Keen Ruffalo), who were raised in New York City and inherit a Canadian island following the death of their estranged grandfather. The series follows Annie as she sets out to the island and encounters Ramona (Amélie Hoeferle), the half sister she didn’t know existed until she arrived there. Their initial friction gives way to a tight bond as they piece together emotionally heavy family secrets.

The series hails from Megan Park, who has become known for her nuanced stories about young people with films like “The Fallout,” a drama starring Jenna Ortega about the aftermath of a school shooting, and the Aubrey Plaza-led “My Old Ass,” about a teenager who meets her older self while on a mushroom trip. Over video call, Park discussed the “Sterling Point’s” origins, her hopes for Season 2 and the coming-of-age stories that she admired growing up. — Y.V.

Many series about and catering to young adults right now, some of which are part of Prime Video’s lineup, are based on books that have built-in fan bases. Did that make “Sterling Point” a harder sell? What was your experience of pitching it?

Yes, I think people are always more nervous to take a risk on something brand new when you’re like, “This is just a weird idea I had in my brain, but trust me I think it’ll work.” But I was really lucky with Amazon being so supportive because they had just acquired “My Old Ass” and I think they understood the voice and the stories that I was wanting to tell with the show. I was shocked that people were willing to take the risk of being like, we’re going to go in a writers room and we’re going to figure out the show in an old-school way; we’re not going to rely on any kind of built-in audience or IP. I’m very thankful for Amazon for taking that chance on us. It’s not that I’m against adapting IP. I’m sure I would do that at some point, but I had an idea and somebody still wanted to listen to it, so I feel very grateful for that.

What inspired this story ?

I wanted to try [writing for] TV because I was like, “Well, eight hours is a lot more content than just making a movie.” That was a fun challenge to me. When I was acting, I spent so many years doing TV, so it felt like home. For me, it was the sisterhood story and sort of the the idea of these two young women who are connected by this woman that they don’t know and don’t feel like her death has necessarily affected either one of them, and it has very much affected both of them. I thought it was an interesting idea to explore, nature versus nurture. I come from a family where there’s a lot of adoption, and I had also never really seen a character like Annie where they were adopted and they didn’t have the desire to seek out their biological family, and that was just something they were fine with. That’s been an experience of a lot of people in my family. Oftentimes, [we see] stories about you know people wanting to find their biological family. Both of them exist, but I hadn’t seen the latter in a lot of things. I was excited to explore that.

Daniel Quinn-Toye, Bo Bragason and Jacob Whiteduck-Lavoie in “Sterling Point.”

(Prime Video)

Identity, and how that’s shaped by our parents, drives so much of the story. What interested you in that parent-child or just familial dynamic?

I’ve always just loved stories that are about that; family dynamics are the most interesting to me because they’re so full of triggers, and everybody has some kind of crazy story within their family, or a mystery. At that age, you’re finally realizing your parents are just people too, and they maybe don’t know everything. And maybe you have different ideas or thoughts about how the world works than your parents, and that can sometimes not go over very well. It is an interesting time. And as a mom now with children — I have a 2- and 6-year-old — you think a lot about like, “Wow, how are my kids going to feel about A, B, and C when they’re this age? What’s my relationship going to be with them as teenagers and adults?” It’s so wild to think about. I was also writing it, thinking about a lot about the mom and the parents POV as well.

The show has romance or feelings of infatuation that are a hallmark of young adult dramas, but it’s not the focus of the show. It’s the relationship between the sisters. There’ve been studies saying that teens want less sex in TV and movies, that they prefer watching stories about deep friendships or platonic relationships. Was that top of mind for you at all?

You’re the first person who’s asked me that, and I feel like yes. We love a love triangle, we love a love story — it’s so fun and such an escape; it’s almost like an essential part of a show in a way. But especially this generation, their friendships are deeply important and they live at home longer, statistically. Their relationships, their parents, are a lot different than maybe millennials’. When I was in high school, I was never involved in romantic relationships. That was a later part of life, and I feel like I’ve talked to a lot of people, they were like, I wasn’t dating really in high school. I was not ready and not there yet. You don’t often see that. And so it was fun to have this this North Star that the real love story and the real heart of the show is the sisterhood, and I hope that sets the show apart in an exciting way, because it felt that way when we were writing it.

The season ends with Annie and Ramona essentially swapping locations. What are you interested in exploring in a Season 2 with these characters?

I have a whole bunch of ideas left, so we shall see. There’s a lot between these two young women having now experienced each other’s lives fully that is going to be really interesting to explore and pick up, hopefully, if we get the chance to. Listen, eight hours seem like a lot, but once you get into it, you’re like, “Wait, man, there’s eight hours more that I think I could get deeper into A, B, and C.” And there’s so many great supporting characters in the show, and we had stuff [for them] that we wanted to fit in for them in Season 1 that we just couldn’t fit in. Season 2 could be fun in that way, where you know these people and know the world, and now you can go more into [who they are.] Who is Oona’s mom? There’s all these other characters who we can get more into their world as well.

The YA genre is thriving right now. And it’s not even just young people tuning in — I feel like I see so many TikToks from millennials and Gen X talking about their obsession with them. Why do you think we’re still turning to these types of stories later in adulthood?

Because it’s nostalgic. It’s such a defining time in every single person’s life. It’s why young people are finding shows that we grew up on, like “One Tree Hill” or “Dawson’s Creek.” And why women in their 50s or 60s are still relating to the newer shows like “Off Campus” and and “Elle.” It doesn’t matter the era; it’s just the unique sort of idea that it’s the first this, the first that; the defining moments of our lives in so many ways.

In the spirit of this series, what were some of the coming-of-age films, TV series or books that shaped you?

I grew up in like the era of such great coming-of-age comedies — “Clueless” was a big one for me — and really epic rom-coms like “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.” Those movies really stuck with me. I would say that Chris Columbus, as a filmmaker, makes movies like “Mrs. Doubtfire,” “Step Mom” — those movies that are such wild ideas or really sad things, but you’re also unexpectedly crying. In “Mrs. Doubtfire,” you’re like, oh, this is a story about a dad who misses his kids, but it’s so heartfelt but also funny at the same time.” I want to make things that are heartfelt, which isn’t necessarily a cool word to some people. I think it’s cool because I want to make things that are meaningful but also lead with their heart, and you’re surprised when the emotion comes. It’s not just super, super dark or super, super light and fluffy; it hopefully falls perfectly right in the middle.

ICYMI

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Put away the trumpets. Pack them up, put them in the attic, let them collect some dust.

Nobody wants to hear them.

Nobody wants to be subjected to one more triggering, off-key note of an Edwin Díaz dirge. Not anytime soon, not in any high-leverage moments for the foreseeable future.

Not after the Dodgers’ closer blew another save Thursday, his third in four appearances.

Not after another Díaz disaster class. This time, after he trotted in to Timmy Trumpet’s “Narco” as usual, he gave up four consecutive hits and coughed up a two-run lead before getting yanked in a 5-4 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers at Dodger Stadium. It spoiled Max Muncy’s pinch-hit home run in the sixth inning that staked Díaz to a 4-2 lead.

Díaz was the high-profile free agent the Dodgers signed to lock down the ninth inning for the next three seasons, inking him to a $69-million deal to do it, a record for relievers.

He has an ERA of 11.57 for the season. And in the 5⅔ innings since returning from a procedure to remove “loose bodies” in his right elbow, he has given up 12 hits and three walks. On Thursday, he left everybody in the stands rooting for the Dodgers up in arms, booing.

Those folks might still be booing when they hear what Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said saltily postgame: “Give me another option … I can’t just say change him to low-leverage. I have to have options.”

So plan a search party, do it by committee.

Or give the ball back to Tanner Scott. He isn’t perfect, but has 16 saves and was serviceable filling in for Díaz before he was activated off the injured list on July 29.

Just don’t give the ball to Díaz.

Not while the 32-year-old right-hander is flailing. Not while he’s flustered and frustrated — which you can’t spell without rust, though even Roberts admitted, “I don’t know how long you can use the rust thing, which I’ve certainly used.”

Go with anyone but Díaz, who has been the biggest disappointment of this Dodgers’ trek toward what they hope is a three-peat.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, center, pulls closer Edwin Díaz from the game in the ninth inning Thursday against Milwaukee.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

He’s not the only disappointment: Mookie Betts is hitting worse than ever before in his career while another newcomer, $240-million man Kyle Tucker, is hitting just .239 with 11 home runs. Fittingly, he flew out for the final out and went 0 for 4 on Thursday.

But Díaz was heralded as the best reliever on the free-agent market when the Dodgers signed him.

Instead, he’s making a run at Worst Reliever in the Game.

His slider hasn’t been sliding. He’s been consistently inconsistent. His location has been spotty — or right down the middle, and as he showed and told Thursday: “I was throwing my fastball right in the middle. When you miss in the middle, you pay.”

And, like Roberts, Díaz doesn’t know the answer, just that “I just gotta sit down with the pitching coaches to see what I’m missing and what they say to see if we can fix it and keep working hard.”

In a short-sleeved T-shirt and shorts, he stood with his hands on his hips and faced the music — and the facts, saying he’s ready to relinquish his closer role if Roberts wants to try another option.

“I just gotta see what they wanna do,” Díaz said. “I wanna do the best thing for the team. At the end of the day, if they give me the ball in the ninth I will try to do my job. If they give me the ball in another inning, I will try to do my job.”

Roberts would prefer he do the job for which he’s being paid so richly: “Everyone’s got a role, they all have jobs to do, and they all have to do their job. That’s it.”

But Díaz hasn’t been up to the job. He had a 10.50 ERA in seven shaky appearances before he went on the IL on April 20.

It can seem like the Dodgers print money with all their high-priced players, but they might as well be lighting it on fire with the relievers they’ve brought in.

For them, the concept of the high-priced reliever should be an oxymoron. Because being fooled once is a shame; being fooled twice — that’s moronic.

In 2025, they signed Scott — then considered perhaps the best relief pitcher on the free-agent market — to a four-year, $72-million contract.

And he blew his opportunities like a trumpet too, ending last season with a 4.74 ERA (second-worst of his career) and 1.263 WHIP with 60 strikeouts through 57 innings. He didn’t pitch for the Dodgers in the playoffs.

Now they’ve got the Díaz debacle to deal with before the postseason, when it looks like the Dodgers, if they don’t have their big-name closer to rely on, will again be forced to find other options.

Bradley Beal is returning to the Clippers after missing most of last season because of a left hip injury.

The 33-year-old guard signed a new deal, the team said Thursday. No terms were announced. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported it’s two years for $13.2 million.

In his first season with the Clippers, Beal averaged 8.2 points, 1.7 assists and 20.2 minutes in six starts before sustaining the season-ending injury on Nov. 8.

The three-time All-Star has averaged 21.4 points, 4.3 assists and 4.0 rebounds during his 14-year NBA career, including stints with Washington and Phoenix.

HOUSTON — Amar Johnson saw a flicker of playing time at running back for the Chargers last season.

Thursday, he made a case for a bit more.

Johnson scored two touchdowns in the preseason opener at Houston and turned a short pass into a 55-yard gain.

It’s easy to put too much stock in a preseason performance, seeing as most starters are watching from the sidelines, but Johnson made the most of his opportunity in a 27-7 victory over the Texans.

Chargers running back Amar Johnson runs past Houston Texans cornerback Brandon Codrington after a catch during a preseason game on Thursday.

(David J. Phillip / Associated Press)

He scored on a seven-yard run in the first half and from a yard out in the second. The short touchdown was set up by his quick catch and dash down the sideline, when he was caught from behind just before he could cross the goal line.

The Chargers, who used a first-round pick on running back Omarion Hampton last year, have not had a 1,000-yard rusher since Melvin Gordon in 2017.

Hampton, who like most starters didn’t play Thursday, showed flashes of promise last season but also battled injuries.

Running backs Jaret Patterson and Greg Desrosiers Jr. also turned in solid performances for the Chargers.

Passing grades

Chargers quarterback Trey Lance passes against the Texans on Thursday.

(Ashley Landis / Associated Press)

There’s some jostling over the job of backing up quarterback Justin Herbert, featuring a replay of last summer’s competition between Trey Lance and DJ Uiagalelei.

“Both have really acquitted themselves well, and the next piece is in the games and how they play,” coach Jim Harbaugh told reporters this week. “That’s something we’ll all see. I imagine, from what I’ve seen in practice, it’s going to be pretty close. They’re both good.”

Lance got the start and played deep into the third quarter, completing 12 of 20 passes for 164 yards with an interception. He ran for 27 yards in three carries.

Uiagalelei, who played at St. John Bosco High, entered with three minutes to play in the third quarter and completed six of nine passes for 120 yards and a touchdown.

Front and center

Around this time last year, the Chargers were reeling along the offensive line, having lost left tackle Rashawn Slater to a season-ending knee injury. Early in the season, they also lost bookend tackle Joe Alt. In short, the offensive line was a mess.

Now those players are back, and it’s all about making smaller tweaks along a solid line. The question mark is at left guard, with five candidates in the mix: Kayode Awosika, Branson Taylor, Jake Slaughter, Trey Pipkins III and Trevor Penning.

Slaughter, a rookie second-round pick, started at center Thursday and moved to left guard and appeared to play well. That he can play center in addition to guard is particularly valuable, as he can provide reliable depth behind starting center Tyler Biadasz.

Drop-portunity

Chargers wide receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith had four catches in the first half Thursday but couldn’t pull in this pass against Texans cornerback Collin Wright.

(Ashley Landis / Associated Press)

KeAndre Lambert-Smith had four of the Chargers’ nine receptions in the first half, but a fifth would have been really impressive.

He got a two-step lead on rookie corner Collin Wright on a long pass from Lance, yet couldn’t cash in. Wright mistimed his jump, and the ball hit Lambert-Smith square in the hands before falling to the turf. The top three receiver spots are locked down by Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston and Tre’ Harris, but there’s room for another wideout and maybe two. A rookie to watch is the speedy Brenen Thompson, who doubles as a returner.

Double vanilla

Teams are always circumspect about doing anything too exotic during the preseason, lest they give regular-season opponents something to study. That goes double for the Chargers, seeing as all three of their preseason opponents — Houston, San Francisco and the Rams — will face them again. It’s a bit of a balancing act, though, because it’s got to be tempting to get a look at the offense of coordinator Mike McDaniel outside the structure of a practice.

Regardless, look for the Chargers to be bland, bland, bland as they evaluate the back end of their roster and decide who to keep and who to cut.

LeBron James has moved back to the Eastern Conference, but the Lakers remain a major box office draw for the NBA.

With an almost brand new rotation after a busy offseason that elevated Luka Doncic to the team’s unquestioned leader, the Lakers have the maximum amount of nationally televised games in the NBA this season with 34, according to the league schedule released Thursday. The Lakers open the season against the Golden State Warriors on Oct. 21 on ESPN.

The slate is highlighted by a much-anticipated Christmas Day reunion with James that will be televised at 2 p.m. on ABC. The matchup at Crypto.com Arena will be James’ return to L.A. after the four-time NBA champion signed with the Philadelphia 76ers this summer following eight seasons with the Lakers. James will play on Christmas Day for the 21st time in his 24-season career, and the Lakers will play on the holiday for the 28th consecutive time.

The Lakers don’t meet James in his new home until March 4, when they finish a four-game trip in Philadelphia.

The Lakers have a frantic start to the season, playing 13 games in the first four weeks. They have three back-to-back sets during the busy stretch from the opener to the end of a three-game trip in Milwaukee on Nov. 11.

The Lakers have 14 sets of back-to-backs, the same as last season, and eight of the sets require travel between the games. Two require time changes: The Lakers play at Minnesota on Dec. 18 before gaining an hour while traveling to Denver to play Dec. 19, then lose an hour between Chicago on Jan. 2 and Toronto on Jan. 3.

The traditional Grammys trip begins in Indiana on Jan. 28 followed by a back-to-back set in New York (Jan. 30) and Charlotte (Jan. 31). The Lakers then continue the seven-game trip by circling back north from Charlotte to Boston (Feb. 2) and Brooklyn (Jan. 4), then heading West with stops in San Antonio (Feb. 6) and Phoenix (Feb. 8).

The reigning NBA champion New York Knicks, Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs and James’ 76ers each have 34 nationally televised games. The national broadcast appearances are spread throughout the NBA’s broadcast partners: ABC/ESPN, NBC/Peacock and Amazon Prime.

The final two games of the 82-game season will be determined in December as the NBA Cup midseason tournament plays out.

The Lakers were placed into Group C, which includes the Warriors, Spurs, Portland Trailblazers and Sacramento Kings. The group stage begins at Golden State on Oct. 30 followed by home games against Portland (Nov. 6) and Sacramento (Nov. 20). The final group game is Nov. 27 at San Antonio.

LAKERS’ 2026-27 SCHEDULE

October
21: vs. Golden State, 7 p.m.
23: vs. Clippers, 7 p.m.
25: at Utah, 2 p.m.
27: vs. Portland, 8 p.m.
28: at Clippers, 7:30 p.m.
30: at Golden State, 7 p.m.

November
1: vs. Toronto, 6 p.m.
2: vs. Miami, 7 p.m.
4: at Sacramento, 7 p.m.
6: vs. Portland, 7 p.m.
8: at Detroit, 3 p.m.
9: at Atlanta, 4 p.m.
11: at Milwaukee, 5 p.m.
15: at Phoenix, 1 p.m.
17: vs. Charlotte, 7 p.m.
18: vs. Utah, 7 p.m.
20: vs. Sacramento, 7 p.m.
23: vs. Utah, 7 p.m.
27: at San Antonio, 6:30 p.m.
29: at Memphis, 1 p.m.
30: at Houston, 4:30 p.m.

December
2: at New Orleans, 5 p.m.
14: vs. New Orleans, 7 p.m.
16: at Minnesota, 6:30 p.m.
18: at Minnesota, 5 p.m.
19: at Denver, 6 p.m.
21: vs. Indiana, 7 p.m.
23: vs. Denver, 7 p.m.
25: vs. Philadelphia, 2 p.m.
27: vs. Memphis, 6 p.m.
29: vs. Houston, 7 p.m.
31: at New Orleans, 5 p.m.

January
2: at Chicago, 5 p.m.
3: at Toronto, 4 p.m.
5: at Washington, 4 p.m.
7: vs. Boston, 7 p.m.
8: vs. Detroit, 7 p.m.
11: at Clippers, 7 p.m.
13: at Portland, 7 p.m.
14: vs. Orlando, 7 p.m.
17: vs. Milwaukee, 6 p.m.
19: at Sacramento, 7 p.m.
21: at Golden State, 7 p.m.
22: vs. Sacramento, 7 p.m.
24: vs. Washington, 1 p.m.
26: vs Oklahoma City, 8 p.m.
28: at Indiana, 4 p.m.
30: at New York, 5:30 p.m.
31: at Charlotte, 4 p.m.

February
2: at Boston, 5 p.m.
4: at Brooklyn, 4 p.m.
6: at San Antonio, 5:30 p.m.
8: at Phoenix, 6:30 p.m.
10: vs. Clippers, 7 p.m.
12: vs. Denver, 7 p.m.
16: vs. Chicago, 7 p.m.
18: vs. Houston, 7 p.m.
26: at Denver, 7 p.m.
28: at Dallas, 12:30 p.m.

March
2: at Orlando, 4 p.m.
4: at Philadelphia, 4 p.m.
6: vs. Oklahoma City, 5:30 p.m.
7: vs. Brooklyn, 7:30 p.m.
11: vs. New York, 7 p.m.
12 vs. Cleveland, 7 p.m.
14: vs. Golden State, 7 p.m.
16: at Portland, 7 p.m.
17: vs. Phoenix, 7 p.m.
19: vs. Atlanta, 7 p.m.
21: vs. Dallas, 7 p.m.
23: at Miami, 5 p.m.
25: at Cleveland, 4 p.m.
28: at Houston, noon
30: at Memphis, 5 p.m.

April
1: at Oklahoma City, 6:30 p.m.
4: vs. San Antonio, 7 p.m.
6: vs. Dallas, 7 p.m.
7: vs. Minnesota, 7 p.m.
9: vs. Minnesota, 7 p.m.
11: vs. Phoenix, 5:30 p.m.

All times Pacific

Get ready to wipe the steam off the TV screen. Season 2 of the Peabody Award-winning series about two hockey rivals entangled in a heated romance is still months away from premiering. But details are slowly emerging that paint a picture of what fans can expect from the sophomore season of “Heated Rivalry.”

The first season’s release schedule was accelerated in the U.S. after it was acquired by HBO Max from Bell Media’s streaming platform Crave, Justin Stockman, the VP of content for Bell Media, told Variety late last year.

Things will be different for the upcoming season, which was announced in December 2025, creator Jacob Tierney told Variety. Tierney wrote and directed every episode of the first season.

“It can’t be the same time next year, because this time last year I’d written five of [six episodes], and this time this year I’ve written zero of them. So it’s going to be a little bit later, but it’s still going to be soon.”

“Soon” has now turned into spring 2027, when it is slated to hit HBO Max.

Here’s everything to know about Season 2 of “Heated Rivalry”:

What book will Season 2 cover?

The first season was based on the second book in the “Game Changers” series by Rachel Reid. It followed the off-the-ice romance between two professional hockey stars that play for the rival teams the Montreal Metros and the Boston Raiders in a fictional Major League Hockey league.

The new season will continue their romance and will be based on the sixth book, “The Long Game,” which reads as a direct sequel to “Heated Rivalry.” The novel follows Shane Hollander, played by Hudson Williams, and Ilya Rozanov, portrayed by Connor Storrie, as they struggle with going public with their secret relationship.

The follow-up season will also introduce a new couple — from the fifth book in the series, “Role Model” — a player who’s traded to a struggling team finds support from the franchise’s social media manager.

Who will play the new couple?

Justice Smith (“I Saw the TV Glow”) and Charlie Gillespie (“Splitsville”) will be joining Season 2 of the hit romantic drama as Harris Drover and Troy Barrett, respectively.

Character descriptions were not released, but in Reid’s book Troy is a hockey player who gets traded to the Ottawa team after cutting ties with a Toronto teammate who is accused of sexual assault. Harris is Ottawa’s social media manager.

Who else is joining the cast?

Season 2 will also welcome new faces to the cast, including Emily Hampshire from “Schitt’s Creek,” Edvin Ryding from “28 Years Later,” Robert Naylor from “Mile End Kicks,” Sabrina Jalees from “I Used to Be Funny” and Priyanka from “Meet Me Next Christmas.”

Hampshire will play Vanessa, Ryding will portray Luca Haas, Naylor is cast as Wyatt Hayes, Jalees will take on Farah Jalali and Priyanka is Tarek.

How many episodes are in the new season?

Did Dylan Walsh, who plays Shane’s dad, reveal too much? The actor recently paused his account on the celebrity video app Cameo after he slipped up and released information about the new season.

“Getting ready to go back up to Canada and shoot some more episodes … I think we’re doing 12 this time,” Walsh said in a clip recorded for a fan.

The number is significantly more than the first season‘s six episode-run. However, Tierney told The Times early this year that he doesn’t want to make more than six episodes per season so there’s a possibility that they’re filming two seasons back to back.

Walsh’s Cameo account has been set as unavailable until August 2027 with a message under his profile that reads, “Stepping away because a video went viral that got me in trouble.”

Jaylen Brown and Giannis Antetokounmpo will play homecoming games a week apart in January.

The 2026-27 NBA schedule was released Thursday, setting the dates for the two former NBA Finals MVPs to return to face the teams that traded them this summer.

The schedules for opening night and Christmas already were unveiled this week, so those two games were among the most intriguing matchups not yet known. Brown, who was dealt from the Celtics to the rival Philadelphia 76ers in a stunning move, will play his first game back in Boston on Jan. 21.

Antetokounmpo was expected to be traded by Milwaukee this offseason — at one point speculation was that he might be swapped for Brown — and eventually was dealt to Miami. The Heat will travel to face the Bucks for the first time on Jan. 28.

Both of those games, which will be on Thursday nights, will stream on Prime Video.

Other details about the schedule:

From start to finish

The season will open Oct. 20 with a tripleheader, highlighted by LeBron James, Brown and the 76ers visiting the New York Knicks, who will receive their rings after winning the franchise’s first championship since 1973.

The regular season ends April 11. All-Star weekend is set for Feb. 19-21 in Phoenix.

Busy nights and nights off

Every team will play on Monday, Nov. 2, and there will then be no games the following night, which is election day in the U.S. The league is leaving that first Tuesday in November as an open day in hopes that fans and members of the NBA community will participate in the voting process.

No teams will play on Saturday, April 10, the second-to-last day of the regular season. Every team is then in action on the final day, with all the games matching Eastern Conference teams and the one interconference matchup scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. EDT. The games involving West teams are set for 8:30 p.m.

Where to watch the games

There will be 90 regular-season games televised nationally on ABC or NBC, up from 79 last season. Every team will be scheduled to appear on national TV at least twice.

Throughout the season, games will stream on Peacock on Monday nights, be shown on NBC and Peacock on Tuesdays, be televised by ESPN on Wednesdays, and stream on Prime Video on Fridays.

Saturday night primetime games on ABC begin Dec. 12 with the Knicks visiting the Heat, while NBC’s “Sunday Night Basketball” returns Jan. 24 with Oklahoma City visiting Golden State.

Prime Video will begin streaming Thursday night doubleheaders in January and some Saturday afternoon games starting Feb. 6 with Portland at Memphis, when Ja Morant returns to face the Grizzlies for the first time.

A lot of TV time

The NBA champion Knicks have the most appearances on ABC with six, while the Lakers, 76ers, San Antonio Spurs and Minnesota Timberwolves all are featured on ESPN eight times.

The Knicks, Spurs, 76ers, Thunder, Warriors, Lakers, Denver Nuggets and Houston Rockets all get the maximum 11 appearances on NBC.

Back-to-backs and schedule breaks

Teams will average 14.2 sets of back-to-back games, the lowest total since the NBA Cup was added to the schedule, and no team will have more than 16. No team will play eight games in 12 nights, or 18 in 30.

There are 59 back-to-back games involving at least 750 miles of travel, down from 74 last season.

No team will be scheduled to play the night before games in the NBA Cup, or if they are in nationally televised games on Christmas Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents Day, Sunday nights on NBC or Saturday nights on ABC.

Milestone moments

If Kevin Durant averages 26 points, as he did in his first season in Houston, he could move past Kobe Bryant into fourth place on the career scoring list sometime around Jan. 16, when the Rockets would be at the midpoint of their schedule.

Indiana’s Rick Carlisle is set to become the eighth man to coach 2,000 NBA games on March 8.