Take-Two Interactive marks “another consecutive quarter of strong results,” with net bookings increasing 2% to $1.47 billion, in line with the top of its guidance range.
Both Grand Theft Auto Online and Grand Theft Auto 5 “exceeded expectations,” with the latter selling 205 million units worldwide to date. The company also reports that its GTA+ subscription service increased its membership by 35% year over year after adding Bully to the library of available games.
numbers
For the three months ending September 30, 2024:
Net revenue: $1.35 billion (up 4% year-over-year)
Net loss: £365.5m (down 39% year-on-year)
Total net reserves: $1.47 billion (up 2%)
highlights
Take-Two Interactive has reaffirmed its 2025 net booking guidance range of $5.55 billion to $5.65 billion, relying on results that are “sequential increases and record levels of net bookings in fiscal years 2026 and 2027.”
Net bookings from recurring consumer spending increased by 6%, representing 81% of all net bookings. Take-Two specifically highlights NBA 2K25 and NBA 2K24, Grand Theft Auto Online and Grand Theft Auto V, Toon Blast, our hyper-casual mobile portfolio, Match Factory!, Empires & Puzzles, Words With Friends, Red Dead Redemption 2 and Red Dead . Online and Toy Blast as the largest contributors.
We’re officially halfway through the 2024 NFL regular season, which is awesome. It feels like yesterday when Isaiah Likely failed to get his second foot on the field against the Kansas City Chiefs.
In Week 9, our Jameis Winston MVP campaign came to an end, the Los Angeles Rams followed up with another overtime win against the rival Seattle Seahawks, and people lost their jobs. The New Orleans Saints fired Dennis Allen after an embarrassing loss to the Carolina Panthers, and the Las Vegas Raiders parted ways with offensive coordinator Luke Getsy and two other offensive assistants.
This week, I’d like to talk about the next head coach who could be fired midseason and examine the NFC West.
Could another head coach be fired midseason?
First it was Robert Saleh, then Dennis Allen. The Saints leader received his exit papers Monday morning following a loss to the lowly Panthers as touchdown favorites. This was actually the first time a Bryce Young team led in the fourth quarter with time on the clock in his 20 career starts!
After winning their first two games of the season by at least 25 points, the Saints lost seven in a row. That has never happened before in NFL history. It’s true that injuries played a role in this collapse, but the fact of the matter is that Allen has a 26-53 record as a head coach in his two stops, and he didn’t exactly inspire optimism in his three seasons with New Orleans. .
So, we’ve seen two head coaches fired midseason. Could we get another one in the next few months? Actually, it is not an easy question to answer. Some would point to Mike McCarthy of the Dallas Cowboys as a coach who is on the hot seat, but he is in the final year of his contract. He could be allowed to finish the season. Then there’s Brian Daboll of the New York Giants. The former NFL Coach of the Year isn’t winning any popularity contests in New York, but Giants owner John Mara is. patience publicly preached to fans last month. Doug Pederson of the Jacksonville Jaguars may be in a similar situation with a seemingly supportive owner, and then there’s Antonio Pierce in Las Vegas, who is in his first full season as head coach.
If there’s going to be another head coach fired midseason, I think it might be Matt Eberflus of the Chicago Bears. Chicago had high expectations heading into 2024 after a great offseason, which included drafting Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze. Through nine weeks, the Bears are 4-4 and are coming off two tough losses. They were on the wrong end of a Hail Mary in Week 8, and then were eliminated by the Arizona Cardinals last Sunday, 29-9. The Bears have lost 19 consecutive road games played on Sundays, the longest streak since the 2015-18 Cleveland Browns. The Cardinals don’t have one of the best defenses in the NFL, but they kept the Bears out of the end zone the entire game and kept the pressure on Williams.
Here’s why Eberflus could be fired before the end of the season: The Bears undoubtedly have the toughest remaining schedule in the NFL. A big reason is that the Bears somehow have yet to face a divisional opponent. They reside in the toughest and most talented division in the NFL, and six of their remaining nine games will be against the Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers. The other teams on Chicago’s remaining schedule are the San Francisco 49ers, Seahawks and New England Patriots.
SportsLine data scientist Stephen Oh projects the Bears will be 3.9-5.1 down the stretch. As of now, Chicago has a 12.2% chance of making the playoffs. Only four NFC teams have worse odds.
NFC West Standings
It is one of the most fascinating divisions in the NFL. The NFC West is one of two divisions in which all four teams have won at least four games, but which team has the means to claim the title? Let’s rank these four teams as we enter Week 10.
4. Seattle Seahawks
Seattle has gone 1-5 in its last six games after starting the year 3-0. Over those last six games, this Seahawks defense is giving up 29.7 points per game, while Geno Smith threw three interceptions last Sunday, including two within 7 yards of the end zone.
There’s no doubt that Seattle has playmakers. Jaxon Smith-Njigba excelled with 180 receiving yards and two touchdowns on Sunday with DK Metcalf out of the lineup. But it’s hard to trust this bottom-10 defense.
3. Arizona Cardinals
It is the Cardinals who currently sit atop the NFC West with a 5-4 record. They beat the short-handed Rams in Week 2, defeated the 49ers in Week 5, and have now won three in a row. However, Arizona was defeated by the Washington Commanders and Packers.
What would make me look foolish for ranking the Cardinals third on this list are two things. One is continued defensive success. Arizona held Chicago to nine points and 241 yards of total offense last week. Both were season lows. The Cardinals also had a season-high six sacks and just traded pass rusher Baron Browning on Monday. The other thing that could take the Cardinals to the next level is Marvin Harrison Jr. being a more consistent part of the offense. The fourth overall pick has recorded fewer than 40 receiving yards in five games, but crossed 110 receiving yards twice.
2. Los Angeles Rams
The Rams are 4-4, but have spent most of the season shorthanded. Los Angeles returned Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua a couple of weeks ago and are currently on a three-game winning streak. When Matthew Stafford, Kyren Williams, Kupp and Nacua play together, the Rams are 8-3. Stafford remains one of the most underrated quarterbacks in the world and this young defense has come into its own. Jared Verse is the favorite to win Defensive Rookie of the Year, and Byron Young, Braden Fiske and Kobie Turner have also been fantastic.
This team has everything it needs to move forward, but staying healthy is paramount.
1. San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers are 4-4, but they are the reigning NFC champions for a reason. Christian McCaffrey is returning from injury and Kyle Shanahan is used to bouncing back from slow starts. Remember when the 49ers started 3-4 in 2022? After that they won 10 games in a row. San Francisco has played three straight NFC Championship games, so I expect a change here in 2024. It starts this week against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who have a short week.
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery did not blame the referee for the decision, despite having been involved in a lengthy argument with the referees during the match.
He said: “We played a good first half. In the second half the mistake changed everything. The key was the mistake we made.”
“Your mistake is completely strange. It has only happened once in my entire life.”
Villa defender Ezri Konsa added: “It’s part of football. Our first defeat in the Champions League and we have to move on, we can’t be so depressed about it.”
“I didn’t see it, I just saw the players running towards the referee saying handball.
“This kills the game. If it’s a handball, a deliberate handball, why not give him a second yellow? It’s a mistake, but we have to learn from it.”
Former Aston Villa defender Stephen Warnock said on BBC Sport: “Arsenal got away with doing the same thing against Bayern Munich in the Champions League last season. Maybe this time the referee has seen that Bruges players are closing Mings?
“I don’t think Tyrone Mings looked at Emi Martinez at all when he took the goal kick, so he thinks he can pick it up because he doesn’t know it was taken.”
Sutton, speaking live on BBC Radio 5, said: “That’s ridiculous. It’s crazy on Mings’ part, absolutely crazy.”
“What are you thinking? It’s a Mings brain freeze. Tyrone Mings could have done it when he was three.”
Crouch added on TNT: “It was very, very strange.
“Even if you don’t think it’s live, you don’t put your hand on him. It’s a moment of madness. The moment he did it we all shouted that it was a penalty.”
He Philadelphia 76ers They will seek to change their luck when they fight against the Los Angeles Clippers in a key early-season matchup on Wednesday night. Philadelphia is coming off a 118-116 loss at Phoenix on Monday, while Los Angeles defeated San Antonio 113-104 that same night. The 76ers (1-5), seeded seventh last season after going 47-35, are 1-2 on the road this season. The Clippers (3-4), seeded fourth last year at 51-31, are 1-4 on their home court in 2024-25. Los Angeles is still without Kawhi Leonard (knee), while Joel Embiid (suspension) is ruled out for the Sixers.
Tip-off from the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, is scheduled for 10 p.m. ET. The 76ers lead the all-time regular season series 78-62 and have won four of the last five meetings. Los Angeles is a 1.5-point favorite in the latest 76ers vs. Clippers from SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is 214.5. Before making selections between 76ers and Clippers, you’ll want to see the NBA predictions from the computer model tested at SportsLine.
The SportsLine projection model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned more than $10,000 in bet $100 Player Earnings on Your Top Rated Site NBA selections for the last six seasons. The model enters Week 3 of the 2024-25 NBA season on an excellent 101-64 run on all top-rated NBA picks dating back to last season, returning more than $3,000. Anyone still in betting houses and continue betting apps has made enormous profits.
Broadcast of 76ers against Clippers: fubo tv (Try it for free)
Why the Clippers can cover
veteran guard Norman Powell He leads Los Angeles’ scoring attack. In seven games, all as a starter, he averaged 24.9 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.1 steals in 33.1 minutes. He is connecting on 50.8% of his field goals, including an astonishing 45% from 3-point range and 84% of his free throws. He scored a season-high 37 points, making 7 of 11 3-pointers, in a 109-104 win at Denver on October 26.
escort James Harden It has also been a force. In seven starts, he is averaging 21.1 points, 9.9 assists, 8.7 rebounds, 1.6 steals and 1.3 blocks in 35.1 minutes. He has a triple-double and five double-doubles on the year. In a 125-119 loss to the phoenix suns On October 31, he scored 35 points, distributed 13 assists and grabbed 10 rebounds. He scored a season-high 29 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in a 116–113 overtime loss to the Suns on October 23. See which team to choose here.
Why the 76ers can cover
With the absence of Embiid, base Maxey Tyrese He has intensified his scoring production. In six starts he averaged 30.2 points, 4.3 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 41 minutes of action. He scored a season-high 45 points with four rebounds, four assists and two blocks in a 118-114 overtime victory at Indiana on October 27. He is coming off a 32-point, three-rebound, two-assist performance in Monday’s 118-116 loss at Phoenix.
escort Kelly Oubre Jr.. He is averaging 16.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.3 steals in six starts. He has scored in double figures in every game this season, including a season-high 28 in a 115-107 loss at Toronto on Oct. 25. He scored 21 points and grabbed two rebounds in the season-opening 124-109 loss to Toronto. Milwaukee Bucks on October 23. In Monday’s loss to the Suns, he scored 11 points, along with four rebounds and two steals. See which team to choose here.
How to make picks between 76ers and Clippers
The model has simulated 76ers vs. Clippers 10,000 times and we already have the results. The model is leaning on the total, projecting a combined 222 points. It also says that one side of the differential affects almost 70% of the simulations. You can only see the pick on SportsLine.
Daniel Oyefusi covers the Cleveland Browns for ESPN. Before ESPN, he covered the Miami Dolphins for the Miami Herald, as well as the Baltimore Ravens for The Baltimore Sun.
BEREA, Ohio — Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry was noncommittal when asked Wednesday about Deshaun Watson’s standing with the franchise, as the quarterback’s struggles in Cleveland continued before suffering a laceration. right Achilles tendon that ended his season in Week 7.
“Really our focus with Deshaun, I would say for any player with a season-ending injury and a major injury, is first and foremost to make sure he recovers from the Achilles injury,” Berry said during a news conference with journalists. during the team’s bye week. “Everything else we will address later.”
Before the injury, Watson posted the lowest total QBR of any qualified passer in the NFL. The Browns went 1-5 in Watson’s six starts before the Achilles injury and did not reach 20 points in any of those games.
Berry, however, said the offense’s problems were not limited to Watson.
“We haven’t played well as a team and we haven’t played well as an offensive unit,” Berry said. “I think a lot of times when you don’t play well on offense, obviously your starting quarterback and your play-caller are going to take the most heat. But the reality is that offenses come down to organization and timing. It’s just “There are many points in common.” ownership in the different position groups in terms of why we didn’t perform.”
Since trading three first-round picks and giving Watson a fully guaranteed $230 million contract ahead of the 2022 season, Watson has started 19 games, with each of his last two seasons ending due to injury. He missed the final eight games of the 2023 season after undergoing surgery on his throwing shoulder. He served an 11-game suspension to start the 2022 season after more than two dozen women accused him of sexual assault and inappropriate conduct during massage sessions.
Since making his debut in Cleveland, Watson’s total QBR of 33.8 ranks 32nd out of 33 qualified passers, ahead of only Bryce Young of the Carolina Panthers.
Berry said he “fully” supported coach Kevin Stefanski’s decision to continue starting Watson before his latest injury. When asked if the decision to trade for Watson was his or a mandate from ownership, Berry said, “We were all on board.”
The Browns still owe Watson $46 million in each of the next two seasons. Watson has a $72.9 million cap hit in the 2025 and 2026 seasons, both scheduled to be the second-highest in the NFL. Cleveland would take cap hits of $172 million and $99 million in 2025 and 2026 if the team parted ways with Watson after the season.
A year after finishing with an 11-6 record and making the playoffs, the Browns are 2-7, tied for the worst record in the league.
Jameis Winston replaced the injured Watson and Stefanski turned over his play-calling duties to offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey in Week 8. A disappointing first half of the season saw the team trade two veteran leaders: wide receiver Amari Cooper, who was traded to the Buffalo Bills and defensive end Za’Darius Smith, who was traded to the Detroit Lions before Tuesday’s trade deadline.
When later asked if it’s still possible for Watson to return as the Browns’ starting quarterback, Berry said, “Yeah, I think that’s always possible.”
Berry declined to evaluate the deal for Watson and whether it was a good trade.
Shai Hope elected to bowl after winning the toss at Kensington Oval, with West Indies and England hoping for a rare ODI series victory in the decisive third match. The sides made two changes each, with West Indies bringing in Romario Shepherd and Alzarri Joseph for Jayden Seales and Shamar Joseph.
“We’re not sure what we’re going to get,” Hope said of the playing surface at his stadium. “I had to assess the conditions as a bowling group and put pressure on them.”
For England, Reece Topley and Jamie Overton replaced John Turner and Saqib Mahmood. Overton has been playing as a specialist batsman since returning from a stress fracture in his back, but was seen marking his run before the pitch.
Liam Livingstone, the England captain, said he too would have opted to bowl. “We’ll see what the course has to offer, hopefully it gets slower as the day goes on,” he said.
The West Indies took a 1-0 lead after claiming victory in a rain-affected first ODI in Antigua, before England chased down 329 on the same ground two days later.
Neither team has played much bilateral ODI cricket in the last 12 months. The West Indies beat England 2-1 during their tour in December, but series defeats in Australia and Sri Lanka limited their attempts to climb the rankings in search of automatic qualification for the 2027 World Cup.
Meanwhile, England’s last series win was against Ireland in September 2023.
West Indies: 1 Brandon King, 2 Evin Lewis, 3 Keacy Carty, 4 Shai Hope (captain and week), 5 Sherfane Rutherford, 6 Shimron Hetmyer, 7 Roston Chase, 8 Romario Shepherd, 9 Alzarri Joseph, 10 Gudakesh Motie, 11 Matthew Forde
England: 1 Phil Salt (week), 2 Will Jacks, 3 Jordan Cox, 4 Jacob Bethell, 5 Liam Livingstone (captain), 6 Dan Mousley, 7 Sam Curran, 8 Jamie Overton, 9 Adil Rashid, 10 Jofra Archer, 11 Reece Topley
Backing the Detroit Lions has been a profitable NFL betting strategy this season. Detroit has won six straight games and is 7-1 against the spread in 2024. The Lions have also covered the spread in seven straight road games dating back to last season. On Sunday, the Lions will face the Houston Texans on Sunday Night Football. According to the latest Week 10 NFL odds, Detroit is a 3.5-point favorite. Other notable NFL spreads from Week 10 include Steelers vs. Commanders (-3. 45.5), 49ers vs. Buccaneers (+5.5, 51) and Eagles vs. Cowboys (+7.5, 42). If you’re looking for NFL picks, NFL parlays, fantasy football rankings, or NFL DFS picks for Week 10, SportsLine has you covered with its proven model, AI PickBot and its team of experts. They even have a pick that returns a whopping +14000, so be sure to see what they have to say.
Self-learning AI reveals top NFL picks
SportsLine AI reached a whopping 1,947 4.5 and 5 star sports betting selections since the start of last season. Now he’s back with his spread, moneyline and total picks for every NFL Week 10 game. He’s backing the Rams to cover as one-point home favorites against the Dolphins on Monday Night Football. See the AI picks for every Week 10 NFL game here.
NFL Parlay Picks Could Lead to Massive Payouts
SportsLine’s model has returned more than $7,000 in top-rated picks since its inception, so those picks can be used with confidence to complete NFL parlay picks in betting apps. The model has constructed a five-team parlay for Week 10 that pays 25-1, and one of the games is Chicago (-6, 39) to cover at home against New England. The Bears cover nearly 60% of the simulations and the rest of the five-team parlay can be found here.
Fantasy rankings to help you win your matchups
SportsLine’s model simulates each game 10,000 times, which has helped it produce better Fantasy rankings than human experts in recent seasons. He has revealed his Week 10 Fantasy Football positional rankings that can be used to make early decisions. Jets wide receiver Davante Adams is projected to be a top-10 wide receiver this week, and he also has full rankings for each position here.
The Week 10 Fantasy Football waiver wire is loaded with players capable of making an impact this week and the rest of the season. SportsLine’s RJ White breaks down the best Fantasy Football free agents available heading into Week 10, helping you find the best options at every position included in less than 60% of the leagues on CBSSports.com. See them all here.
NFL DFS Picks from Top Experts
SportsLine has a DFS optimizer that simulates every game 10,000 times and uses data from SportsLine’s projection model and DFS pro millionaire Mike McClure to identify the best DFS picks/plays for any slate on sites like FanDuel and DraftKings. He has Falcons running back Bijan Robinson as his top running back, while Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson is his top receiver. Here are your complete Week 10 NFL DFS rankings.
Senior Fantasy writer Heath Cummings has set his projections for every fantasy-relevant quarterback, running back, wide receiver and tight end in his leagues. Not only do you get statistical projections and fantasy point totals for each player in different scoring formats, but Cummings also includes DFS prices and values to help create winning DFS lineups each week. Get your Week 10 Fantasy and DFS projections here.
Advanced NFL model simulates every game 10,000 times
SportsLine’s model enters Week 10 of the 2024 NFL season with an incredible 14-7 betting streak on top-rated NFL picks this year. Longer term, he has a 195-136 streak on top-rated NFL picks dating back to the 2017 season and a 49-29 streak on top-rated NFL picks dating back to Week 7 of 2022. The model has revealed picks for each game. in Week 10, and one of his favorite picks is the Texans (+3.5) covering at home against the Lions, who cash in over 50% of simulations. You can find the model selections for each game here.
NFL Vegas Expert Picks Revealed
SportsLine has a large team of NFL experts who provide quality betting advice for every game on the schedule. Expert Mike Tierney (31-12-2 in his last 45 ATS NFL picks) has revealed his best bets for Week 10, including the Falcons (-3.5, 46.5) to cover on the road against the Saints in a game that opened in Atlanta. -1.5. Tierney’s best NFL bets for Week 10 can be found here.
Eric Cohen, who is 63-27 since Week 4, has accurate score predictions for all 14 games. He’s riding high on the 49ers (-5.5, 51st) to beat the Buccaneers on the road, and he’s also asking for an underdog to pull off a surprising upset. If you hit any of their exact score selections, you’ll get a payout well over 100-1. That pick, along with his prediction for the remaining 13 games, is available here. SportsLine’s advanced computer model has also pinned its exact score predictions for every NFL Week 10 game right here.
Bengals vs. Ravens Thursday Night Football Picks
A heated rivalry in the AFC North is renewed as Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens host Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals (+6.5, 53) on Thursday night. SportsLine’s model likes the Over (53) in that game and has also revealed his picks on the spread and money line. NFL expert Mike Tierney, who is on a blistering 52-22-2 streak in Ravens games, has analyzed this matchup from every angle and has locked down his best bet for TNF right here.
SportsLine’s AI PickBot has locked down its props for players like Jackson, Burrow, Derrick Henry, and Ja’Marr Chase. One of your best options is Jackson with over 29.5 pass attempts, earning him a 4-star rating. You can see all of AI PickBot’s top-rated NFL accessory picks here.
Let’s see where all 30 teams stack up two weeks into the season and what to keep an eye on as superstars return from injury and teams begin to find their footing.
Note: Team rankings are based on where members of our panel (ESPN’s Kendra Andrews, Tim Bontemps, Jamal Collier, Michael Wright, Tim MacMahon, Dave McMenamin, Ohm Youngmisuk, Chris Herring and Kevin Pelton) think teams belong this season.
Next games: vs. GS (Nov. 6), vs. BKN (Nov. 8), @ MIL (Nov. 10), vs. ATL (Nov. 12)
Entering Monday’s game in Atlanta, the Celtics are averaging more than 50 3-point attempts per game, five more than the current record holders, the 2018-19 Houston Rockets, and six more than any other team this season, while making 38.1% of them. That’s giving Boston a built-in scoring advantage to start just about every game. And expect plenty more to be launched this week inside TD Garden, as Boston hosts Golden State and Brooklyn, both of which are in the top eight in 3-point attempts. — Tim Bontemps
Next games: @ DEN (Nov. 6), vs. HOU (Nov. 8), vs. GS (Nov. 10), vs. LAC (Nov. 11)
A smothering defense anchored by NBA blocks leader Chet Holmgren has keyed the Thunder’s undefeated start. Entering Monday night, Oklahoma City had the NBA’s top-ranked defense by a margin of 6.1 points, allowing only 95.1 points per 100 possessions. The last team to finish a season with a double-digit defensive rating: the 2015-16 San Antonio Spurs, who lost to the Thunder in the conference semifinals. Alex Caruso and Luguentz Dort are widely considered among the NBA’s best perimeter defenders, but second-year guard Cason Wallace is earning his way into that conversation. Wallace has the lowest defensive rating (86.3) among OKC rotation players and averages 1.8 steals and 3.7 deflections in 25.3 minutes per game. — Tim MacMahon
Next games: @ NO (Nov. 6), vs. GS (Nov. 8), vs. BKN (Nov. 9), @ CHI (Nov. 11)
Down 111-108 with 1:18 remaining Monday to the Giannis Antetokounmpo-less Bucks, the Cavs used an 8-0 run to secure the win — and an 8-0 start to the season. Cleveland has now tied the 1976-77 squad for the best start in franchise history, with a chance to set a new record Thursday in New Orleans. — Dave McMenamin
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Darius Garland puts up 39 as Cavs equal franchise record
Darius Garland has quite the night as his 39 points move the Cleveland Cavaliers to 8-0, tying their best start in franchise history.
Next games: vs. MIA (Nov. 6), @ DAL (Nov. 8), vs. SAC (Nov. 10), @ UTAH (Nov. 12)
Jusuf Nurkic started every game for Phoenix so far, but he hasn’t necessarily finished. In a win against the Lakers, he played just six seconds in the fourth quarter. And in a victory over the Clippers, he played fewer than four minutes in the fourth. Nurkic is playing just 22.2 minutes per game so far, his least amount of burn since splitting time with Nikola Jokic in Denver to begin his career. — McMenamin
Next games: @ BOS (Nov. 6), @ CLE (Nov. 8), @ OKC (Nov. 10), vs. DAL (Nov. 12)
Despite losing Stephen Curry for three games, the Warriors remain incredibly solid with a winning record. Buddy Hield and Jonathan Kuminga have provided Golden State with the supplemental scoring off the bench that it has lacked the past few years. But it’s not just the offense that has gotten the Warriors off to a strong start — their defense has been their anchor. The Warriors rank second in opponent field goal percentage in the paint (49.5%) and first in opponent effective field goal percentage on shots from outside the paint (44%). — Kendra Andrews
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Poole, Curry trade 3-pointers to end 2nd quarter
Jordan Poole connects on a 3-pointer for the Wizards before Steph Curry beats the buzzer with a triple to end the half for the Warriors.
Next games: vs. CHI (Nov. 6), vs. PHX (Nov. 8), @ DEN (Nov. 10), @ GS (Nov. 12)
Coach Jason Kidd has stuck with Daniel Gafford in the starting center role despite the general consensus within the organization that second-year big man Dereck Lively II has a higher ceiling. Kidd has indicated that Lively will get an opportunity to start at some point, but the coaches wanted to avoid the perception that Gafford was getting demoted after he played a critical role in the Mavs’ late-season surge and NBA Finals run. Entering Monday night, Lively was averaging about four minutes per game more than Gafford this season. The Mavs have outscored opponents by 10.2 points per 100 possessions with Lively on the floor and have a minus-6.2 net rating in Gafford’s minutes. — MacMahon
Next games: @ ATL (Nov. 6), vs. MIL (Nov. 8), @ IND (Nov. 10), @ PHI (Nov. 12)
Things were downright ugly in New York’s season opener against the Celtics. But in the five games since, the defensive duo of OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges has been stout, surrendering 101.8 points per 100 possessions in 106 minutes. (That number would rank third in the league behind Oklahoma City and Golden State.) In particular, the pair was relentless in Detroit this past week, helping lead the Knicks to a 16-steal performance in a blowout victory. — Chris Herring
Next games: @ CHI (Nov. 7), vs. POR (Nov. 8), vs. MIA (Nov. 10), @ POR (Nov. 12)
Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards hasn’t been afraid to let it fly from 3 to start the season. He’s shooting 12.3 3s per game, leading the NBA with by far the most 3s he has averaged in his career. James Harden or Curry has led the league in that category each season since 2012-13, but Edwards looks poised to uncrown them, especially if he keeps shooting 43.2% from deep and the Wolves’ offense can be effective. Minnesota ranks 13th in points per possession to start the season. — Jamal Collier
The Lakers are 25th in defensive rating, allowing 117.6 points per 100 possessions — nearly three points more than they did last season, when they finished 17th. When asked what areas of the defense the team has to shore up after losing in Detroit on Monday, Anthony Davis bluntly responded: “Everywhere.” — McMenamin
Ja Morant has been brilliant with 10 assists or more in five of seven games. But two starters — Desmond Bane and Marcus Smart — are dealing with injuries that put them on week-to-week timelines for return, while two rotational players are also working back from injuries in Luke Kennard and John Konchar. All four missed Saturday’s win over Philadelphia, along with Cam Spencer and Vince Williams Jr. Memphis’ players missed a league-record 578 games combined last season because of injuries, and the club hopes it’s not experiencing a repeat this season. — Michael Wright
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These Ja Morant 360 buckets will leave you speechless
Ja Morant dazzles the crowd with two magnificent 360 baskets for the Grizzlies.
After a rocky 0-2 start that included a 15-point opening night loss to the Thunder, the Nuggets won three of their next four games, including two overtime wins at Toronto and Brooklyn. They lost a tough game at Minnesota, but Christian Braun‘s dunk on Rudy Gobert is a glimpse at how Braun will replace Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in the starting lineup with aggressive athleticism and his two-way game. Braun scored in double figures in each of the first seven games and averaged 14.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.2 blocks, 1.0 steals and 42.1% shooting from behind the arc. — Ohm Youngmisuk
Next games: @ PHX (Nov. 6), @ DEN (Nov. 8), @ MIN (Nov. 10), @ DET (Nov. 12)
It has been an odd start to the season in Miami. Entering Monday’s action, both Tyler Herro and Terry Rozier are shooting better than 40% from 3-point range on more than eight attempts per game, while both Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler have been, at times, bystanders to the action. There’s a balance that coach Erik Spoelstra is trying to strike, which could begin after Adebayo scored 32 points in a 118-98 win in Mexico City over the Wizards on Saturday. — Bontemps
Next games: @ IND (Nov. 6), vs. NO (Nov. 8), vs. WAS (Nov. 10), vs. CHA (Nov. 12)
The Magic find themselves in tepid water after losing Paolo Banchero for at least one month with a torn oblique muscle. As a team, the Magic struggle to produce consistent offense and scoring, ranking in the bottom five of the league in offensive rating. Without Banchero — who had a 50-point game last week — it’ll be even harder to fix their offensive struggles. Orlando will also have to survive without center Wendell Carter Jr., who suffered a left plantar fascia strain. — Andrews
Next games: vs. SA (Nov. 6), @ OKC (Nov. 8), @ DET (Nov. 10), vs. WAS (Nov. 11)
After putting together what coach Ime Udoka said was his team’s first statement win Thursday against the Mavericks, the Rockets followed that up with a thrilling overtime loss to the Warriors in which they erased an early 31-point deficit. The Rockets rank near the bottom of the league in field goal percentage, but they’ve feasted on offensive rebounding (15.3 per game) and second-chance scoring (20.8 points per game) to achieve a 113.9 offensive rating. Despite the rough showing against the Warriors, Jalen Green has taken another step in his development and might be poised to set new career highs in scoring and 3-point percentage. — Wright
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Thompson, Green cap off Rockets’ win with electrifying slams
Amen Thompson and Jalen Green seal the Rockets’ win late in the fourth quarter with two emphatic dunks against the Knicks.
Next games: vs. TOR (Nov. 6), vs. LAC (Nov. 8), @ PHX (Nov. 10), @ SA (Nov. 11)
Clutch time was an Achilles’ heel for the Kings last season, but they were optimistic that adding DeMar DeRozan would alleviate those issues. They got their first taste of the DeRozan and De’Aaron Fox duo in the clutch — ultimately winning them an overtime game in Atlanta. However, on Monday the clutch time hero for the Kings was not DeRozan or Fox but instead Domantas Sabonis, who had a buzzer-beating putback to win against the Heat, putting the team above .500. — Andrews
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Domantas Sabonis beats the buzzer to win it for the Kings
The Kings take down the Heat as Domantas Sabonis hits a clutch putback with less than a second remaining.
Less than two weeks into the season, the Pelicans’ health is already in season-threatening territory. Guards Dejounte Murray (hand fracture) and CJ McCollum (adductor strain) and forward Herb Jones (shoulder subluxation) are out multiple weeks, while forward Trey Murphy III has yet to return from a hamstring strain. With Zion Williamson sidelined Sunday by hamstring tightness, New Orleans played with only one of its top six players. The Pelicans haven’t lost much ground in the standings, but their minus-7.0 point differential ranks 13th in the West. — Kevin Pelton
Next games: @ DAL (Nov. 6), vs. MIN (Nov. 7), @ ATL (Nov. 9), vs. CLE (Nov. 11)
After finishing in the bottom five of the NBA in 3-point attempts the past two seasons, the Bulls are letting it fly from beyond the arc. They entered this week third in 3-point attempts and fourth in made 3s with a remade, up-tempo offense. Josh Giddey, who the Bulls acquired from Oklahoma City over the summer, has helped ignite the offense with 14.7 points and 6.2 assists while shooting 47.6% from 3.— Collier
Two-time All-Star Tyrese Haliburton has been off to a slow start this season after leading his team to the Eastern Conference finals during a breakout 2023-24 campaign. Haliburton is averaging 14.0 points and 7.3 assists on 33.7% shooting, his lowest production since his rookie season. His struggles haven’t been a good sign for the Pacers, who have stumbled out the gates because of it. — Collier
Next games: @ LAC (Nov. 6), @ LAL (Nov. 8), vs. CHA (Nov. 10), vs. NYK (Nov. 12)
Philadelphia received a much-needed boost Monday night when Paul George made his season debut. But it wasn’t enough as the 76ers fell to the Suns after George missed a 22-foot jump shot with 3.1 seconds left in the game. George had been out for three weeks since stepping awkwardly and suffering a bone bruise in a preseason game in Atlanta on Oct. 14. Now, the question will be when Joel Embiid, who also has yet to play this season, will join him. — Bontemps
Next games: vs. NYK (Nov. 6), @ DET (Nov. 8), vs. CHI (Nov. 9), @ BOS (Nov. 12)
Without Dejounte Murray on the roster, defenses are loading up on Trae Young. Case in point: Young is passing on 46.2% of his drives this season, up considerably from 35.5% last season. Young’s league-leading 11.7 assists per night has helped spark the Hawks’ ninth-ranked offense, but the challenge throughout Young’s tenure in Atlanta has always been the defense, which ranks 28th so far this season. — Herring
Next games: vs. PHI (Nov. 6), @ SAC (Nov. 8), vs. TOR (Nov. 9), @ OKC (Nov. 11)
The start to the season has been a glimpse of what the Clippers likely will be until Kawhi Leonard is able to return. Their improved defense has helped them pull off upset wins at Denver and Golden State. But outside of James Harden, Norm Powell and Ivica Zubac, the Clippers don’t have enough offense to overcome more talented teams, leaving very little margin for error. It took longer than expected, but after losing their first four home games, the Clippers finally got their first win at Intuit Dome, rallying from a 26-point deficit to stun the Spurs. Next, they’re hoping to spoil Paul George’s return to L.A. on Wednesday. — Youngmisuk
Next games: vs. UTAH (Nov. 7), @ NYK (Nov. 8), vs. BOS (Nov. 10), vs. TOR (Nov. 12)
The Bucks had one of their worst six-game starts in franchise history, going 1-5 for the first time since the 2000-01 season. Milwaukee has lost six consecutive games despite some dominant performances by Giannis Antetokounmpo, who shot 62% and averaged 32.2 points, 12.3 rebounds and 6.3 assists in the team’s first six games. Following Monday’s game in Cleveland, the Bucks have two of the Eastern Conference’s top contenders over the weekend, as they visit the Knicks on Friday and host the Celtics on Sunday. — Collier
Next games: @ HOU (Nov. 6), vs. POR (Nov. 7), vs. UTAH (Nov. 9), vs. SAC (Nov. 11)
Victor Wembanyama started the season slowly, working his way back into playing shape while dealing with an illness. He’s rounding into form, dropping his second career 5×5 game Thursday at Utah to become the third player to ever accomplish that on multiple occasions. Second-leading scorer Devin Vassell is close to returning from offseason foot surgery, having spent the past week with the team’s G-League affiliate on a rehab assignment. Vassell’s sharp shooting should help Wembanyama get more of the shots he prefers, while finally giving San Antonio its first chance to develop chemistry with the starting group. The Spurs are also being coached by assistant Mitch Johnson for an indefinite period of time after head coach Gregg Popovich suffered an undisclosed illness before Saturday’s game. — Wright
Next games: vs. DET (Nov. 6), vs. IND (Nov. 8), @ PHI (Nov. 10), @ ORL (Nov. 12)
LaMelo Ball‘s offense has been unstoppable, with a career-high 30.2 points per game on career-best efficiency over the first few weeks of play. The issue, aside from his high turnover rate (tied for most this season with James Harden at 5.5 per game), is he has already fouled out a league-high three times while finishing another game with five fouls. Coach Charles Lee said the club is trying to figure out how to help. “We have to continue to challenge him and we have to learn about, ‘Can he guard one-on-one, or do we need to send a double-team every time, or are you going to foul?'” he told reporters. — Herring
For the second straight season, Cam Thomas averaged at least 30 points through his first three games. But there is ample room for his playmaking to grow. Nets coach Jordi Fernandez said as much after the Nets’ loss to Detroit on Sunday. “If you’re a scorer but they do certain things to you, then maybe it’s a day that you score less, but you assist more,” Fernandez told reporters of Thomas, who’s averaging 26.6 points per night but has just 25 dimes through eight games. — Herring
Next games: @ SAC (Nov. 6), @ LAC (Nov. 9), @ LAL (Nov. 10), @ MIL (Nov. 12)
After an overtime win Saturday against the visiting Kings, the Raptors can feel good about remaining competitive despite being without starters Scottie Barnes (orbital fracture), Bruce Brown (knee surgery) and Immanuel Quickley (pelvic contusion). Down two of its top three scorers, Toronto has relied heavily on RJ Barrett, who’s averaging 28.8 points and 7.3 assists since returning from his own shoulder injury. And second-year guard Gradey Dick has taken a leap as a starter, pushing his scoring average from 8.5 points as a rookie to 21.0 thus far while shooting more accurately. — Pelton
Washington put together its first winning streak of the season with consecutive wins over the Hawks last week. While that streak ended in Mexico at the hands of the Heat, the Wizards have seen some positive signs early. With Kyle Kuzma sidelined the past two games, young players like Bilal Coulibaly have stepped up. Coulibaly had 27 points, nine rebounds and three steals in the Wizards’ second win over Atlanta on Wednesday. He followed that up with 22 points and eight rebounds against the Heat. Since scoring eight points in the season opener, Coulibaly scored 22 or more points in three of his next four games. And Jordan Poole continued his hot start with a team-high 24 points in the Wizards’ loss to Golden State (his former team) on Monday night. — Youngmisuk
Next games: @ CHA (Nov. 6), vs. ATL (Nov. 8), vs. HOU (Nov. 10), vs. MIA (Nov. 12)
With Monday’s impressive win over the Lakers, the Pistons have already surpassed the two wins they had through their first 30 games of 2023-24, which included an NBA-record 27-game losing streak. After starting 0-4 this season, Detroit has now won three of its past four games. Most importantly for the Pistons’ future, the young backcourt of Cade Cunningham (shooting at career-high rates on both 2s and 3s) and Jaden Ivey (new career highs in both usage and true shooting percentage) is flourishing with veteran shooters around them. — Pelton
Next games: @ SA (Nov. 7), @ MIN (Nov. 8), vs. MEM (Nov. 10), vs. MIN (Nov. 12)
The frisky Blazers have shown their improved depth, shooting and defense can catch unsuspecting veteran teams for an upset, as they defeated the Clippers Wednesday at Intuit Dome. Yet Portland still boasts the West’s second-worst point differential because of lopsided losses to the Warriors and Thunder. That reflects the Blazers’ attempt to thread the needle between showing progress this season — particularly second-year guard Scoot Henderson, who has cut his turnovers and improved his scoring efficiency — while remaining in position for an anticipated draft lottery. — Pelton
Third-year center Walker Kessler has been a bright spot during the Jazz’s early-season woes. Kessler is averaging 9.7 points, 11.2 rebounds and 3.0 blocks, a production boost across the board. After an All-Rookie season, Kessler admittedly didn’t make the strides he hoped to in his sophomore year. He impressed the Jazz’s coaching staff with his response over the summer, when the 7-footer packed on more than 20 pounds to beef up to 272. — MacMahon
Both seasons of the League of Legends spin-off Arcane cost a total of approximately $250 million to create and promote, making it the most expensive animated series of all time.
That’s according to a new report from Variety, and sources told the publication that the $250 million figure covered the production and promotion costs for Arcane’s two seasons, made up of 18 episodes in total. The first nine episodes of the show are said to have cost “more than $80 million” to produce, while the second set of nine episodes, which will make up the show’s final season, reportedly had a production cost “approaching” the $100 million mark.
Variety states that development costs increased due to “a labor-intensive approach and frequent cost overruns caused by delays in script deliveries after the second season was put into production with only a fraction of the season written.”
Arcane: Official Trailer for Season 2. Watch on YouTube
Additionally, League of Legends developer Riot reportedly spent $60 million promoting the first season of the animated spin-off, which launched on Netflix in 2021. Variety says this figure is more than what other studios would typically spend to promote a show they weren’t. distributed.
When the publication asked Riot about Arcane’s pricing, Riot co-founder and chief product officer Marc Merrill said, “We’re more than comfortable with the expense it took to deliver a show that was worthy of our players’ time.” . Merrill would not confirm or deny whether the reported $250 million figure was accurate.
The Riot executive added that the company’s “entertainment ambitions have not changed” since the launch of Arcane. “We never intended to operate as a traditional studio with traditional schedules,” Merrill said. “That did The change as we learned more was our expectations of ourselves: we realized that getting it right takes a lot more time than we originally expected, so we recalibrated our development, production goals, and teams with that in mind.”
The second season of Arcane will air on Netflix starting November 9. As for the first season, our Chris called it “a thrill, full of color and life” in Eurogamer’s review (which was based on the first four episodes), although he still had some reservations. Upon its debut, Arcane later won the Emmy for Best Animated Program.
Valencia’s La Liga match against Espanyol on Saturday has been postponed as the city continues to deal with the aftermath of the devastating floods that hit eastern Spain last week.
Levante, who also play in Valencia, also had their second division match in Tenerife postponed on Sunday.
The floods that began last Tuesday in the Valencian Community have caused at least 218 deaths.
Valencia’s Copa del Rey match against Parla Escuela and La Liga match against Real Madrid were postponed last week.
A statement is released from Valencia CF: “At this time, football is taking a backseat and all efforts must go towards helping those affected by the tragic consequences of the DANA meteorological phenomenon, to whom Valencia CF would like to express its most “deepest condolences and support.”
Levante stated: “We want to thank La Liga, the Royal Spanish football Federation and CD Tenerife for their sensitivity and understanding, as well as the numerous expressions of affection and help that we are receiving in these difficult times from all over Spain and also internationally.
“Our focus during these days will continue to be collaborating and reinforcing the work that emergency services and volunteers continue to do, as well as supporting all those affected by this catastrophe.”
Real Madrid’s Carlo Ancelotti, Atlético Madrid’s Diego Simeone and Barcelona’s Hansi Flick were among the coaches who criticized the decision to play any La Liga games last weekend.
