It was midway through the first quarter of LeBron James' first preseason game with the Los Angeles Lakers when Denver Nuggets forward Paul Millsap used a drop step to elude the newly minted purple-and-gold paragon and loft the ball through the net. Rather than dwell on his failed defensive execution, James immediately shifted his sights toward the other end of the court and sprinted up the left wing to catch an outlet pass that Rajon Rondo zipped to near midcourt. It was an inbounds pass thrown in such haste that Rondo didn't even bother dragging both feet out of bounds before he delivered it, floating one of his size-13 sneaks over the painted S in "America's Finest City" that decorates the baseline at San Diego's Valley View Casino Center. James made one dribble with his left hand, taking him from half court to just inside the 3-point line, where he floated a pass to Brandon Ingram, who had been hustling down the right wing as soon as Rondo put the ball into play. The possession lasted all of four seconds, and while Denver's Will Barton broke up James' feed to Ingram at the rim to prevent the bucket, it covered 94 feet. Many NBA teams talk about running and using pace and space to define their identity -- hoping to execute early offense before the opponent can set its defense -- but to truly be about it requires recognition and discipline. It's one thing to get a steal or grab a long defensive rebound and run because you find yourself with a three-on-two or two-on-one advantage and the defense on its heels. It's another thing entirely to force the issue and put the opposing team in a compromising position just after they've scored, as the Lakers' mad dash after the Millsap bucket portrayed. The 2018-19 Lakers, with all of their fresh parts and mix of young and old, intend to come out of the gates running. Literally. Throughout training camp, X's marked the spots deep in the corners -- taped on the court by Lakers coach Luke Walton -- as a reminder of where he wanted his wings speeding to when the ball changes possession. "If the ball is going through the net, we have a specific player we want to take it out and everyone goes," Walton said. "If it's a deflection or rebound, and you're the designated player, then if you get it, push it yourself, and if you were the point guard, you get out." Translation: There are multiple players Walton is comfortable with initiating the break -- sometimes it will be Ingram throwing the lob to James, for instance -- but the coach wants everyone able to switch from digging in on defense to full-throttle running on offense without a second thought. "It's all about the initial thrust," Walton said. "First three steps we've talked about ... it's that initial thrust coming off getting stops and deflections that's most important." Perhaps even more important is getting James on board with the plan. The Lakers have intentionally built a team different from the roster of specialists James played with in Miami and Cleveland, as ESPN's Ramona Shelburne and Brian Windhorst reported over the summer. The Lakers view this season's team as a collection of multidimensional playmakers who are fit to run whether James is pressing the ball or filling the lane. James, however, is in his 16th season. He turns 34 in December. While he has managed his back pain in recent years to stave off Father Time, he's still the same guy who said this about his aching body four years ago: "I have 41,000 minutes in my career, including the playoffs," James said in December 2014, his first season of his second stint with the Cavaliers. "You drive that car in the wintertime and see what happens." Of course, Southern California winters are easier to contend with than Northeast Ohio's frozen months, but his odometer has now rolled past 54,000 minutes. Yet James seems supportive of the plan to play with pace. The Lakers ranked second in the NBA in fast-break points per game last season with 17.5, trailing only the Golden State Warriors (19.3). When a reporter asked about L.A.'s struggles from deep last season (the Lakers were 29th in the league in 3-point percentage at 34.5 percent), James used the transition numbers as ammunition. "It's fine," he said. "They were top-five in fast-break points, too. So, things that you don't do well, you make up for another way. You always find a way." L.A. hopes to become even more lethal on the break with James in the fold. Individually, James scored 343 fast-break points last season, third most in the NBA, and shot a ridiculous 71 percent on shots in transition. "If he gets the loose ball and pushes himself, he's a problem to deal with, from his playmaking to his ability to get to the rim," Walton said of James. "If he doesn't get it and he's open on the throw-ahead [pass] where he's at half-court, if he gets it coming downhill, then you're impossible to stop." His efficiency can take the Lakers to another level. When James was on the court last season, the Cavs averaged 1.39 points per chance in transition, according to Second Spectrum, which would have ranked No. 1 in the league. The Lakers, while their total transition numbers were stellar, averaged only 1.24 points per chance in transition, good for 24th. In other words, because of turnovers and shots they failed to convert, things didn't always run smoothly when the Lakers ran. However, when James and the Cavs ran -- albeit less frequently -- they were the most effective running team in the league. "It don't matter for me," James said. "I can play any style. I can run with the best of them. I can jump with the best of them. I can slow down with the best of them. I can play any game. Whatever the game endures, I'm able to adapt to however the game is going. "So, even with the miles that I've had in my career, I can still -- I can do pretty much anything."

SEATTLE -- Kevin Durant wants the NBA to come back to Seattle. On Friday night, he offered a reminder of just how sweet the atmosphere can be while scoring 26 points in the Golden State Warriors' 122-94 win over the Sacramento Kings. For Durant, who was drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics with the second overall pick in the 2007 draft, the night brought emotions he hasn't felt before. "When I woke up from my pregame nap I was just nervous," Durant said after the game. "I've never felt that way coming into a game, especially a preseason game. But just knowing this whole thing was kind of set up for that moment, I guess. It was just a crazy feeling to come out and feel that much love from the fan base." The memories came rushing back for Durant early and often during Friday night's affair. While Durant's return was celebrated, the night was less about the actual game and more about a celebration of Sonics basketball. Fans wore old Sonics jersey and held up signs asking the NBA to return to the basketball-crazed city. Durant set the tone for the evening by wearing a Shawn Kemp Sonics jersey during starting lineup introductions. The sellout crowd at KeyArena, which had already applauded Durant's every move in pregame warmups, went bonkers when they saw him wearing the Kemp jersey. "To honor one of the past legends of the game, and also a Sonic legend, was pretty cool," Durant said. "Just the crowd, and to hear them so loud and enthused for the game of basketball. It was breathtaking." Warriors coach Steve Kerr said the Kemp-themed introduction brought out his emotions as well. "That was awesome," Kerr said. "It brought chills. The crowd was going nuts. That was amazing. I might have gone with the 'Downtown' Freddie Brown jersey myself, but that's just 'cause I'm a little older. But it was fun to see all those guys out there, too. ... It was a fun night just a really fun night." Both Durant and Kerr were vocal in recent days regarding the fact they felt Seattle should have another NBA team. It was a message Durant reiterated prior to tip-off while addressing the sellout crowd. He first shouted out the WNBA champion Seattle Storm, adding that he was hopeful an NBA team would return to the city soon. It was an emotional night for many in attendance as Seattle hosted an NBA game for the first time in over 10 years since the Sonics relocated and became the Oklahoma City Thunder. "The message was sent over these last 11 years," Durant said after the game. "Just still support for the Sonics in NBA arenas around the country, around the world. So many people know what the Sonics culture is and I think that's something the NBA can't ignore. I think tonight was kind of the cherry on top as far as saying, 'Hey look, man, we deserve a team here. We'll support a team and they need to bring one back, man.' We're going to keep saying it until it happens. All of us in here, everybody in that arena, every NBA player knows it so hopefully the NBA does what it's supposed to do." Durant said the idea to honor Kemp and the Sonics franchise came up in the weeks leading up to the game. "I'm not really big into the surprises and all that stuff," Durant said. "I thought it would be cool if I just honored one of the past legends. I thought the fans would enjoy it, and they did. So I'm glad it played out that way and it worked out well." Kerr walked to his pregame and postgame media conferences wearing a green Sonics T-shirt, repeating the same message. "I've always loved the Sonics brand, I've loved the city," Kerr said before the game. "The fan base was always an incredible place to play. It reminded me a lot of Oracle, actually, coming to KeyArena when I played. Just kind of organic. The fans here love basketball; it's a hotbed with a lot of great players who come from Seattle. So I'm hoping the Sonics return some day. I guess this is my way of supporting that cause." Seattle fans came ready for a party Friday night wearing various types of Sonics colors. Seattle sports royalty, including NBA Hall of Famers Bill Russell, Gary Payton and Lenny Wilkens, sat courtside along with Storm stars Sue Bird and Breanna Stewart. Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson was also courtside, standing and applauding, while Seahawks coach Pete Carroll was just a few seats away. Former Sonics forward Detlef Schrempf received a raucous ovation prior to the game when he was shown on the video screen unzipping his hoodie to reveal a T-shirt with an old Sonics logo. "I think it's special because it brings back memories of what basketball was here," Wilkens said before the game. "And certainly winning a championship here leaves a legacy, and it's a legacy I don't feel we have ever lost." Prior to the game, Kerr and his players and coaches spent the morning at the Seahawks' facility meeting with Carroll and his players on their tour of Seattle. Lost amid the hype surrounding Durant's return, Warriors All-Star Klay Thompson dropped 30 points in 23 minutes in his first professional game in the state of Washington. Thompson played three seasons for the Washington State Cougars. "I saw a lot of Cougs in the building and that motivated me to come out and try to give them a show, to be honest," Thompson said. "Although it was the east side, I spent some of my best years in Washington. ... Once a Coug always a Coug, so to see all the love from the crowd it was really inspiring." Wilkens and many other players and coaches are hoping Friday night's game and the celebration of basketball that occurred will remind the NBA just how passionate the Seattle area is about having another team to call its own. "There's an awakening, so to speak," Wilkens said. "But people have been fans for a long time; they just haven't had a place to channel it. So they get disappointed they don't have a team here that they can root for themselves. So certainly tonight should give an indication, I would think."

Chris Paul has defended Carmelo Anthony and his addition to the Houston Rockets this season, saying Friday his good friend and 10-time All-Star has been a target of unwarranted criticism. "Obviously I'm a little biased because that's one of my closest friends," Paul said at training camp in Houston in an appearance on ESPN's The Jump. "But, you know, the disrespect that comes at him at times is unbelievable, you know what I mean? So for us, having one of the best players to ever play the game on our team, that's a no-brainer. "I think that's up for all of us, you know, some of the smartest guys to play the game, to figure out how to make it work." The Rockets, who set a franchise record with 65 wins and advanced to the Western Conference finals last season, are banking on Anthony's talent and experience and say they are resolved he can mold his style of play to what they're confident will again be a championship-contending team. "I think we just hoop," Paul said. "I think that's been the cool thing about bringing in different players that have played in different systems. Hell, me last year. I came into a different situation. I had seen it. Coach [Mike D'Antoni] had talked about it. But it's a different thing to play within the system. "With Melo, we just hoop, you know what I mean? If you're open you shoot it. If not, you pass it, you dribble -- it's a fun way to play basketball." Adapting to the Oklahoma City Thunder's offense was a challenge for Anthony last season, when he averaged a career-low in minutes, points, field goal percentage and assists. Anthony signed with the Rockets in August after a trade to the Atlanta Hawks and subsequent contract buyout. "Carmelo's an extremely talented player; he's a Hall of Fame player," Rockets general manager Daryl Morey told The Jump. "And our coaching staff, and Chris and James and them all working together -- he's going to have, I think, his best season he's had in a long time." Despite Morey's confidence, Anthony's role in the Rockets' offense could become even more reduced than it was with the Thunder. According to Second Spectrum, Anthony ranked 37th in isolation plays per game last season after ranking in the top 10 in each of the previous three seasons. Paul and Rockets guard and reigning NBA MVP James Harden ranked first and ninth in isos per game last season. Those two together would've ranked first in the NBA if they were their own team in isos per game. "I think that's up for all of us, you know, some of the smartest guys to play the game, to figure out how to make it work," Paul said. According to NBA Advanced Stats, Anthony took 461 midrange field goals last season, the fourth-most in the NBA. The Rockets had an NBA-low 562 midrange attempts, 256 fewer than any other team in the NBA. But D'Antoni said Anthony and the Rockets were "all on the same page." "Dealing with great players that want to be here and want to make it work, it's easy," D'Antoni said. "He and James and Chris, they kind of figure out how they want to play and how they can play off each other and what will be most effective, and then they try to incorporate what we do into all that, and so far so good." Rockets forward PJ Tucker, who figures to share playing time with Anthony, be it as a starter or off the bench, said adding Anthony into the mix hasn't been tough. "It hasn't been a process at all, for me -- honestly," Tucker told ESPN's Rachel Nichols and Tracy McGrady. "With this team, we don't really play center, small forward, power forward; it's more like filling spots, you know. And a lot of the time it's who is guarding you. That's what matters. If you're going to be in the pick-and-roll, if you're going to set the down-screen. Whatever's happening, we're doing a lot of matchup-based. "So he can fill any one of those spots ... With our offense it's so easy. Chris and James make it so easy." Tucker referenced having known Anthony since they were 16 or 17. "Everybody's been friends forever, so you know, the personalities definitely match," Tucker said. "Once you get together, having fun -- outside of basketball. And then once you get on the court it just kind of gels." Information from ESPN's Tim MacMahon and ESPN's Stats & Information was used in this report.

SHANGHAI -- NBA commissioner Adam Silver said Friday that the league office is monitoring how the Dallas Mavericks are responding to allegations of improper workplace conduct that were not included in the investigative report released two weeks ago. The Dallas Morning News reported Friday, citing former female employees who spoke on the condition of anonymity, that longtime team photographer Danny Bollinger has a history of making lewd comments and propositioning women at work. Two of the women told the newspaper that they had informed investigators about Bollinger's misconduct, but he was not included in the 43-page report released at the conclusion of the seven-month independent investigation. Silver said the league office had been informed of the allegations against Bollinger, who was sent home from the Mavs' trip to China on Thursday. "My concern level is always extraordinarily high when you're hearing stories about any inappropriate conduct in the workplace, whether it's those allegations at the Mavericks or anywhere at our teams," Silver said during his news conference before the Mavericks-Philadelphia 76ers preseason game. "I will say that, when the investigators did their review of the Mavericks' organization, they made a decision to not make public allegations that were brought by employees who chose to remain anonymous. What they did at the end of the investigation was, in essence, shift to the new management of the Dallas Mavericks, run by Cynthia Marshall, their findings with an understanding that Cynthia Marshall, then using a more traditional human resources process, would continue to investigate particular employees and then act on them. "Part of the process, the new process we put in place with the Mavericks, was an ongoing reporting obligation to the league office. So Cynthia Marshall has been in constant contact with Kathy Behrens at the league office. We were aware of those additional allegations, and we are monitoring how they are responding to them. "To the best of my knowledge, and I haven't talked to Cynthia in the last few days, I think they're well equipped now with the new organization they put in place to do the appropriate and necessary investigations and then to act on those findings." A Sports Illustrated story exposing sexual misconduct in the organization led to the independent investigation into the organization led by former New Jersey Attorney General Anne Milgram and Evan Krutoy, an ex-prosecutor in the Manhattan district attorney's office. The investigation described "a corporate culture rife with misogyny and predatory sexual behavior" that spanned decades in the Mavericks organization, including numerous allegations against former CEO and president Terdema Ussery, who left the Mavericks in 2015. Among the findings were evidence of inappropriate comments, touching, forcible kissing, and the viewing and sharing of pornographic images and videos. It concluded that team owner Mark Cuban was not personally involved in any of the incidents of sexual harassment and improper workplace conduct within the Mavericks organization. He has donated $10 million to various women's organizations to recognize the failures of the team. Bollinger, who is 50, has worked for the Mavericks for 18 years. According to a 2002 Sports Illustrated story, though, he had a personal relationship with Cuban even before that. That article says Bollinger introduced Cuban to his future wife, Tiffany Stewart, in 1997, when Bollinger was dating Stewart's sister. Among the allegations against Bollinger cited by the Morning News, one woman accused him of taking close-up photos of Mavericks dancers' bodies and then showing them to her unsolicited and making inappropriate comments. The woman said that she did not report Bollinger to human resources but did talk to investigators about the behavior. Another woman, who worked as a volunteer for the team, said that Bollinger stopped her car as she was leaving the office on two occasions and propositioned her for sex. She did report the incidents to human resources. Contacted by The Dallas Morning News, Cuban said the process of ridding the team of sexual misconduct is ongoing and denied interfering with that process. "To suggest that the Mavs hid anything or didn't take an action for any reason, any whatsoever, is to claim that you believe that Cynt (Cynthia Marshall) and the professionals she brought in are not capable of doing their jobs," Cuban said, according to the newspaper. "They have, they are and will continue to do the jobs they know how to do and continue to have carte blanche to make any personnel decisions they feel the need to make in accordance with the guidelines they defined, not what any outside organization feels they should be." Marshall told the newspaper that their internal investigation is ongoing. "We were transparent about the findings of the independent investigation," she said. "Our own internal investigations will not yield transparency. It's private. It's the normal course of doing business."

Kyrie Irving made a splash Thursday night at the Boston Celtics' annual Fan Appreciation Night by announcing his intention to re-sign with them after season's end. On Friday, he explained his decision further -- casting light on the turnaround from his perceived indecision about whether to stay in Boston. "I'm happy here," Irving said. "Every single day is at an all-time competitive high. What more can you ask for from an organization than taking a chance as far as getting me out of Cleveland? Really taking a chance regardless of whether I signed back or not. "They had the same attitude. They just wanted to show me what being a Celtic is about, and that I was going to come around, and I absolutely did. I believe in it. I believe in the franchise." Irving initially had planned to opt out of the final year of his current five-year deal at the end of the season and was reportedly keen in the past on the allure of the New York Knicks. Irving told reporters Friday he had been indecisive at the end of last season, coming off knee issues after his first season in Boston. "I needed just some time to kind of be back in Boston and feel great about different things I wanted to explore in my career," Irving said. He added he enjoyed "having an environment where I'm challenged on a physical level as well as mental." The tradition and history of the franchise also appealed to Irving, who revealed he dreams of putting his No. 11 in the rafters one day. "Obviously, a lot of great players have come before me, but to grow my name in Boston Celtics tradition and history is something I'm glad I can do, and I plan on," Irving said. Irving caught the front office off guard by telling them he intended to re-sign, as Boston and Irving's camp had not had conversations recently about his contract. "Me asking the Celtics if they would have me back, that was the first question," Irving said. "I just wanted to make sure. And then at that point, it was an easy decision." Added Irving: "Honestly, it just was like, 'Man, I do not want to move again.' I do not want to uproot my family and just be dealing with anything new again. No disrespect to other organizations, but here is perfect for me."

SHANGHAI -- Chinese fans booed Philadelphia 76ers shooting guard JJ Redick every time he touched the ball during Friday's preseason game at Mercedes-Benz Arena, harboring hard feelings for a racist slur he used several months ago. However, many fans applauded Redick's marksmanship as he scored 28 points on 10-of-10 shooting in the 76ers' 120-114 win over the Dallas Mavericks. "It was the most polite booing that I've ever received in my life," Redick said. "I mean, they booed and they cheered. It was like, 'We're mad at you, but we appreciate the way you shoot a basketball.'" Redick was one of several NBA players to record a video wishing fans a happy Chinese New Year in February for Tencent, a Chinese media company and partner of ESPN. Redick stumbled over his words in the video, and it sounded like he used an offensive term in reference to Chinese people. Redick apologized in February, explaining that he was "tongue tied," and reiterated his remorse Friday, praising China's culture and energy. He said he expected to be booed and that Chinese fans are entitled to do so. "The whole thing, it was a very unfortunate situation," Redick said. "I'm just deeply, deeply remorseful for offending so many people." Redick, who is coming off the bench to make room for Markelle Fultz in the 76ers' starting lineup, said the booing did not provide him any additional motivation. He was simply in a spectacular shooting rhythm, his lone miss not counting because he intentionally launched a halfcourt heave after the buzzer at the end of the third quarter. "I did take an extra dribble on purpose even though it was a preseason game, because I wanted a 10-for-10 night," said Redick, who was 7-of-7 from 3-point range.

Boston Celtics assistant coach Jerome Allen pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida to accepting an $18,000 bribe in 2014, according to multiple reports. Allen's plea agreement with the government requires Allen to repay the $18,000 in addition to a $200,000 fine. Allen, who joined the Boston staff in 2015, will remain on the staff but will likely face a suspension, according to multiple reports. At the time, Allen was the head coach at the University of Pennsylvania and accepted the $18,000 bribe from the father of a prospective student "for the purpose of using my position as coach to help his son get admitted to the school as a 'listed' recruit," Allen said in a statement. "I failed on many levels," said Allen in a statement. "Primarily, I had a failure of character. I did not live up to the high standards I set for myself, or were expected of me in the position that I held. "I am heartbroken that my players -- current and former -- will know that I broke the law. But, I do hope that some good may come out of this. I wish to model to my young players how one accepts responsibility for wrongdoing, including the consequences that come from unlawful behavior."

1. What are you watching most closely in the preseason? Jackie MacMullan, ESPN: I reserve the right to chronicle every single movement from Kawhi Leonard until Tony Parker retires or Gregg Popovich shaves his beard -- whichever comes first. Leonard has been an enigmatic ghost for so long that every nugget is a meaningful one. What do we make of his strange new hiccupy chortle? I don't know. But I sure did love Kawhi drilling that sweet step-back jumper over Caleb Swanigan the other night against Portland. Brian Windhorst, ESPN: The calendar, to count down days to the regular season. Well, that and the rookies. The amazing thing about the draft is that no one has figured it out yet. There is still genuine mystery as to how almost all of these guys will play. Chris Herring, FiveThirtyEight: I think we've all been curious to see how LeBron looks alongside the Lakers' youth. In particular, given the slower pace that James' recent teams have played at (even though they rated well in advanced transition scoring stats), would this club get up and down much? The answer has been an emphatic yes so far, with the Lakers averaging almost 25 fast-break points per game, the league's fourth-best rate so far. Royce Young, ESPN: There are probably a lot of things that are far more interesting than this -- LeBron is on the Lakers now, have you heard? -- but I'm very curious to watch how some of the rule changes and applications work. The 14-second shot clock after an offensive rebound is a pretty interesting dynamic, but I'm especially eyeing the off-ball holding emphasis. That could have a significant impact on the game, and how teams run their offensive and defensive schemes. Kevin Pelton, ESPN: The health of players coming back from injuries is probably the best thing you can take from the preseason, so it's good to see Kawhi Leonard and Gordon Hayward back on the court and looking healthy. Hayward's shooting has looked rusty, but he's moving around and getting to the basket like normal. 2. Which player or team has made the biggest impression so far? Windhorst: Well, Miles Bridges was pretty darn impressive in his first game. It's really not worth making any assumptions yet, but that was a pleasant surprise. Young: Is it a total cop-out to say Kawhi Leonard, just because it was awesome to actually see him on a basketball court again? And not just that, but it was a solid reminder of what kind of player he is. The same old stuff was there: the right-to-left crossover into a pull-up jumper, the strong downhill attacks and suffocating on-ball defense. Pelton: Markelle Fultz, by doing something he never did as a rookie in the preseason, regular season or playoffs: making a 3-pointer. Fultz has been starting with the Sixers' other young stars, and if he can credibly space the floor, that could be Philadelphia's lineup for years to come. MacMullan: Am I cheating by taking the easy way out and saying Luka Doncic? Too bad. That's my answer. His debut was a cornucopia of wonderful moments that included tough shots, adept ballhandling (did you see that behind-the-back crossover?) and old-fashioned baller instincts. I know, I know -- the Mavs played a team from China, but this kid is intriguing, talented, charismatic and fun. Herring: Markelle Fultz's willingness to take jumpers -- including 3-pointers from the corner -- seems like a big step. We know Fultz has immense talent, but if he regains his jumper over time, it will force us all to give the Sixers even more validity in the race for the Eastern Conference crown. Brett Brown largely sat Fultz during the playoffs last season, instead going with T.J. McConnell. If he becomes a key rotation piece this coming postseason, that would illustrate that he has gotten back on track for one of the most important clubs in the league. 3. What will be the Lakers' best five-man lineup? Young: Rajon Rondo, Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, LeBron James and Kyle Kuzma. It might be tough for the Lakers to go super small, with a heavy ask on Kuzma and Ingram to play big, but the Lakers could have their own version of a death lineup available. There are a lot of combinations to play with, and figuring out how to fill the 5 spot without a center could be challenging. Still, that five could prove explosive with a lot of ballhandling and dynamic playmakers, along with athletic, switchy defenders. MacMullan: I actually like the idea of a Lakers "death lineup" with LeBron at the 5, even though he resisted that in Cleveland. Honestly, as long as Ingram and Kuzma are out there, I'm good with whoever else the Lakers roll out. But for argument's sake, give me Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who is the kind of role-player veteran LeBron gravitates toward, and Rondo, who facilitates superstars better than any non-shooting point guard I know. Herring: Ball, Josh Hart, Ingram, LeBron and Kuzma. Luke Walton has talked about playing Kuzma -- not exactly the greatest defender in the world -- at center, which may occasionally falter. But that five-man group will pack some firepower on offense, with two primary ball handlers who aren't afraid to run and a couple of good jump-shooters. With some solid perimeter defenders, the lineup should hold up fine on that end, too. If need be, LeBron can play center for brief stretches, allowing Kuzma to play his natural power forward spot on defense instead. Pelton: Ball, Caldwell-Pope, Ingram, LeBron and JaVale McGee. With apologies to Rajon Rondo, I think Ball will likely be the better fit alongside two other capable ball handlers, and Josh Hart's 3-and-D game narrowly loses out to the other wings. As intrigued as I am by LeBron playing the 5, I think it's likely the Lakers will still be more effective overall with McGee in that spot, meaning no room for Kyle Kuzma in the best five. Windhorst: LeBron, Kuzma, Ingram, KCP and Rondo. But there are a few problems. No. 1: There's no center, which is going to be a problem against quite a few Western Conference teams. No. 2: When games are on the line, not only does LeBron not like to play center but he also prefers playing point guard, which could neutralize Rondo because teams will play off him. This is a long way of saying I think it's going to be hard to play their best lineup when games matter. 4. What's your take on the Jimmy Butler situation in Minnesota? Herring: Stuff will get awkward for everyone involved if they don't trade him very soon. A player of his caliber is almost certain to tilt his next team's possessions and offense in a much different direction from before, and it's very late in the game for that to be the case. The Carmelo Anthony trade to Oklahoma City was obviously far different, given Melo's diminished standing in the game now. In hindsight, that deal coming together right as camp began hurt OKC's ability to jell and Anthony's ability to accept the role he needed to take. Time is of the essence for Butler and his next team. Pelton: There don't seem to be any winners there right now, since Butler isn't getting what he wants (a trade) and Tom Thibodeau isn't getting what he wants (Butler on the court). We'll see which side blinks first in that standoff. MacMullan: I used to think Jimmy Butler was one of those old-school, defensive-minded pit bulls who brought toughness and professionalism to any roster he inhabited. I wanted him on my team. Now I think he's one of these new-age stars who somehow believes he is LeBron James and has the gravitas to pull the strings for whichever franchise he inhabits. Note to Butler: You are not LeBron James. And your reputation is taking a pretty big hit right now. Windhorst: The trade demand was mistimed, and it has caused him to lose leverage he could've created had he done it earlier or later. He had his reasons for doing it now but it doesn't seemed to have worked. He's going to get paid next summer. He's a highly desired player in a flush market. In the end, he'll be fine. As for Tom Thibodeau, he knows if he doesn't have a good year, he's probably going to get fired. And if he trades Butler in a deal that makes his team weaker, he's probably not going to have a good year. When you look at it like that, it easy to see why it's gone this way. Young: The Wolves should keep the asking price high and just keep waiting. Other than the distraction and mess of everything, they don't have to rush into a deal for the sake of it. The team doesn't have that much leverage, but Minnesota can manufacture some by keeping Butler's value at a premium. The Wolves gave up a healthy amount to get him, and if their only return is one season and pennies on the dollar, it could be a significant setback for a franchise that was headed in a very positive direction only two seasons ago. 5. Which team do you think is being overrated or underrated? MacMullan: It feels as though we should be talking about the Milwaukee Bucks a little bit more. Aside from the obvious, which is that Giannis Antetokounmpo may have the most unlimited ceiling of any player in the league, there's a chance Thon Maker could make a big jump this season. I'm a big Mike Budenholzer fan, and you can bet the Bucks won't be 19th in defensive efficiency this season. In fact, mark the Greek Freak down as a potential Defensive Player of the Year candidate after not even making either All-Defense team in 2017-18. Windhorst: The Nuggets have looked pretty good against the Lakers. They have young guys maturing together, a lot of continuity and most of them are paid now. They're primed. Oh, and I think Nikola Jokic will look forward to matchups with JaVale McGee. Herring: They haven't shown it yet in this young preseason, but I think last year's horrible season has people forgetting how capable a number of players in Memphis are. With good health, and without the drama last year brought, the Grizzlies could sneak into the playoffs -- even in a loaded West. They've quietly added a handful of two-way players this summer who figure to help in that effort. Even if it isn't enough to reach the postseason, they'll be vastly improved from last year and won't be a fun opponent for other clubs. Young: Cleveland might not be that terrible. It's hard to recover from LeBron leaving, obviously, but the Cavs are in a much stronger position this time around than in 2010. There's some belief Kevin Love can reactivate his top-level form and some of those thought-to-be good role players who didn't produce that well playing with LeBron could provide decent depth. They aren't the team to beat, as Tristan Thompson so outrageously claimed, but maybe the playoffs aren't such a long shot. Pelton: I think most people are putting the Denver Nuggets in the category of fringe playoff teams in the West after they fell one win short of the postseason in 2017-18. That was despite Paul Millsap playing just 38 games, however, and the Nuggets' young core also should improve this season. Preseason returns have been encouraging, with reserves Monte Morris and Juan Hernangomez performing well in the larger roles they'll need to play. So I give Denver a chance to compete for home-court advantage.

FRISCO, Texas -- One day before the 2017 season, Cowboys defensive end Tyrone Crawford walked up to teammate DeMarcus Lawrence with a serious question. “Hey, D, what was the difference between Boise State and here?” Crawford said, pushing back only like a best friend can. “You were a beast in Boise, so what’s different? What are you eating? What are you doing now?” Lawrence was coming off a one-sack season in 2016. He had his second back surgery in as many offseasons and going into the final year of his contract, his career was at a crossroads. Lawrence pondered Crawford’s question for a minute. “S---, I only ate ramen noodles in Boise,” Lawrence remembered. So Lawrence, a second-round pick in 2014, went back to his college days with the ramen noodles. Every week. “I’d eat noodles with sausage, cheese, whatever,” Lawrence said. “I’m talking some fat-boy s---.” Ramen might not be the best reason why Lawrence has succeeded the last two seasons. The better answer is health. Lawrence missed the first eight games of his rookie season with a broken foot. In 2015, he dealt with a herniated disk. In 2016, he had his second back surgery for a disk issue. When he hasn’t been injured, he has produced. In 2014, he had sacks in the Cowboys’ two playoff games. In 2015, he had seven of his eight sacks in the second half of the season. He had just one sack in 2016, but he played most of the season with a numb right leg. To Cowboys coach Jason Garrett, that meant more than the production. “Oftentimes players have a choice to make, ‘Should I get the surgery now or should I wait until after the season?’ whatever the injury may be. He was unequivocal in his response. ‘I’m playing. I’m playing. I’ll figure out how to play through this and we’ll get it done after the season,’” Garett said. “I thought that meant so much for him and the mental toughness he displayed and how that impacted the rest of our team. I think the guys knew what he was going through and was still laying it on the line. That was a big boost for him and his stature in our organization.” In the last 20 games, no defender in the NFL has more sacks than Lawrence. Lawrence has 20 sacks in his last 20 games, a number matched only by Chandler Jones of the Arizona Cardinals. Calais Campbell has 17.5 sacks for the Jacksonville Jaguars. The New Orleans Saints’ Cameron Jordan has 17. Khalil Mack, who was recently handed a $141 million extension after he was traded by the Oakland Raiders to the Chicago Bears with $60 million guaranteed at signing, has 15.5 sacks. Yet when the NFL’s top pass-rushers are talked about, Lawrence’s name is not mentioned. The Cowboys’ high profile and the number of prime-time games they play, such as Sunday’s against the Houston Texans, often leads to inflated narratives for players before it is validated with on-field production. With Lawrence, he somehow remains underrated despite wearing the star on the side of his helmet. “I don’t know, man, but if you go and search up, ‘leading sacker in the NFL,’ you can’t miss his name. You’ve got to mention his name. If you look up top sack guys from last year, you can’t miss his name,” Crawford said. “So, I guess, put some respect on it, you know what I mean? The guy has been doing his thing and he’s been doing it well. You can’t miss a guy like that, and for whatever reason that he’s not mentioned with those guys, I mean, that’s on whoever is talking about him. But if you want to talk real, you want to take real life, that man is up there with the top rushers in the league for sure.” Even on Sunday, Houston’s pass-rushers J.J. Watt and Jadeveon Clowney will garner most of the attention. Watt is a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Clowney was the No. 1 overall pick in 2014 and has 22 career sacks in 50 games. Best of NFL Nation • Where are the touchdowns for Odell Beckham Jr.? • Mayfield faces rookie QB nightmare • Lawrence calls noodles secret to success • What-if story of Darnold and the Broncos • Night in jail changed life of Jets' Anderson

BEREA, Ohio -- Baker Mayfield emphasized precision and details after reviewing the video from the Cleveland Browns' overtime loss in Oakland last weekend. Heading toward Sunday’s game against the Baltimore Ravens, Mayfield emphasized repeatedly in his weekly media session that for the Browns to get past their win-loss troubles, they have to be better at the details. The quarterback's success at Oklahoma that led to him being the 2018 draft’s first overall pick was about details, he said. “The reason we were able to go fast is because everybody knew exactly what they’re supposed to do,” he said Wednesday. “When you do that, when you get a team on the same page, it gets dangerous. On top of that, when you fine-tune the details, everybody realizes what we’re trying to get accomplished, where the ball needs to go. “A receiver, even if he might not be getting the ball, might run his route in a way to get somebody else open. It’s stuff like that we need to get accomplished.” Mayfield even drilled home the point that he said a receiver playing on short grass like Oakland’s has to make sure his shoulders are over his feet as he cuts. “We have to be fundamentally sound,” he said. “We have all the talent. We just have to make sure we’re doing our job.” Mayfield said the “little details” cost the Browns on early downs in overtime, when they failed to get a first down after starting a drive at their 40. (In two overtime games this season, Tyrod Taylor failed to get a first down three times against Pittsburgh, Mayfield once against Oakland.) “We got to have everybody on the same page,” Mayfield said. “I keep saying that. We have to have the right routes. I have to have my eyes in the right spot.” At this early point in his growth and career, every game is a learning experience for Mayfield. He was not afraid to be accountable as he evaluated Oakland, where he guided the Browns (1-2-1) to 42 points despite having four turnovers. He blamed himself for the interception with seven seconds left when a field goal would have won the game. Mayfield said there were folks open for shorter gains that could have given kicker Greg Joseph a chance, and he should have gone through his reads rather than focusing on the deep throw the playcall emphasized. “You can never let the game and your emotions get the best of you,” he said. “You have to do the fundamentals.” In the third quarter with the Browns up 14, offensive coordinator Todd Haley called a pass from the 11. Mayfield was sacked, fumbled and the Raiders recovered. “I have to get the ball out quicker,” he said, “but we’re not gonna block everybody every play.” On the positive side, the 49-yard touchdown throw to Darren Fells was a thing of beauty, 25 yards on a line right into Fells’ hands. “That’ the kind of [play] I’m expecting to make,” he said. “A guy that’s running down the field, he’s a big guy, he’s in front of a safety. Put it in his range and he’s got to make a play, and he did.” Clearly, Mayfield can throw. He has a strong arm, is accurate -- Jackson said the Browns had nine drops -- and the ball has zip. Even with that, he throws a very catchable ball, an underrated trait. He said he believes the Browns are “very, very close to being a great team.” Mayfield next faces a Ravens team that has outscored opponents by 58 and is in the top four in several major defensive categories: second overall, fourth in rushing, fourth in passing and tied for third in scoring. Mayfield praised the Ravens but wasn’t shying away from supporting his teammates either. “If we do our job, we see our keys,” he said, “they can’t throw anything [at us] that we haven’t seen. We just have to be prepared and just do our job.”

EAGAN, Minn. -- Holding court in front of his locker, stunned at the 38-7 result in the NFC Championship Game, Xavier Rhodes summed up the performance of his defense. "We just played trash," Rhodes said. Nine months after that rout at the hands of eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, others inside the Minnesota Vikings' locker room might similarly describe their defensive struggles from the first quarter of the season. Some will argue that the defensive prowess of the Vikings’ stout unit, which rose to No. 1 in scoring and total defense in 2017, has yet to return after disappearing at Lincoln Financial Field in late January. They wouldn’t be wrong. Minnesota has tumbled to 22nd in scoring after allowing 27 or more points in three straight games. In its past two games, the Vikings' defense allowed opposing quarterbacks to account for at least three touchdowns in the first half alone. The Rams posted 556 yards of total offense in Week 4, the most ever given up by a Vikings defense during Mike Zimmer’s tenure. The only silver lining as the Vikings prepare to head back to Philly in Week 5 may be the early nature of these issues. Zimmer had a hard time finding an answer for their struggles against the pass after allowing Jared Goff to complete 26 of 33 passes for 422 yards and five touchdowns, but he isn’t willing to let these first four games define anything. "This isn’t a time for ‘woe is me,’" Zimmer said. "If people remember, we were 2-2 this time last year. We finished 13-3. We were 5-0 the year before, and we finished 8-8. We were 2-2 the year before that, and we finished 11-5, so all the predictors, this isn’t a good time to predict." With Carson Wentz returning for his third start after a complex ACL tear kept him out of the NFC title game, Zimmer noted that Philadelphia’s offense is "pretty similar" to when it had Nick Foles at quarterback. In their last meeting, Foles threw for 352 yards and three touchdowns, converting 10 of 14 third downs against the league’s best third-down defense. He made his biggest plays when he had to drop back and pass downfield. The Vikings' defense has not been the same since the Eagles dissected them in the NFC Championship Game. Matt Slocum/AP Photo Last week in the Eagles' overtime loss to Tennessee, Wentz completed 33 of 50 passes for 348 yards and two touchdowns, predicated on the intermediate passing attack he thrived in a year ago, hitting receivers in stride downfield. Minnesota’s pass defense ranks 23rd (277.5 yards per game) after four weeks. It was the second-best pass defense a year ago. So far this season, the Vikings' miscommunication has led to mistakes in coverage, allowing teams to string together big plays. "We need to cover our guys, stop making mistakes, making errors because it’s a domino effect," Rhodes said. "If one guy messes up, another guy does, a guy is open, and the quarterback finds that guy." That’s the strategy the Rams used in Week 4. With a scheme that thrives on misdirection plays and constantly attempting to send players out the back end, Goff capitalized on a big gain by finding just one Vikings defender out of position. "It’s just little things here and there, whether it’s your eyes were off on this play because you were worried about this or you’re making a check here for a play you might not get, that you might see," safety George Iloka said. "As a defender, us trying to take away something that probably won’t hurt us in the long run while there’s something else that might be bigger. Things like that, and obviously penalties that we’ve gotten that’s led drives to continue." The Vikings also haven’t been able to reignite their pass rush, largely because of how offenses are scheming around them. The Vikings have a 29.1 pressure percentage in four games, which has them at 13th overall, but much of the limitation with pressuring quarterbacks has to do with the rampant play-action attacks they’ve faced. The 588 yards allowed on play-action passes are the most in the NFL, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Against the Packers, Bills and Rams, the Vikings have had 30 total pressures on 125 dropbacks, according to Pro Football Focus. "It’s hard," defensive end Stephen Weatherly said. "We’re following our offensive lineman and we’re following the running back, and then all of a sudden [the QB] pulls it out and it’s a pass. Now we have to put our foot in the ground, get our momentum going up the field, going towards the quarterback, and it adds seconds. Those are precious seconds that the receiver has to break, to get open. Anyone can get open if you have six, seven seconds to do it. You wouldn’t have that much time if it was a straight dropback pass because when a defense knows an offense has to pass, you see it throughout the league, you see pressures dialed up, you see more quarterback hits, more sacks." In the NFC title game, Foles was pressured on 11 of his 34 dropbacks, while his stout offensive line allowed him time for routes to develop downfield. His success on play-action fakes allowed Foles to post a 149.3 passer rating on throws of 20 yards or more. That type of dismantling coupled with the Vikings' inability to stop Foles from stringing explosive gains produced speculation that the Eagles created a template for others to follow in scheming against Zimmer’s defense. "I don’t know about that as far as what we did tipping things off," Eagles coach Doug Pederson said. "Obviously, as an offensive coach you look at something like that and you go, ‘OK, how did they attack the defense? How did they handle such a good front and good secondary?’ They might try to mix it into their scheme, but I don’t think it was necessarily about that. I think that right now, they’re just missing some guys on defense. Guys that helped them last year." The indefinite absence of defensive end Everson Griffen, who is dealing with mental health issues, is certainly a factor. Griffen led Minnesota in sacks last season and is one of the league’s best pass-rushers when healthy. (He played the second half of 2017 with a torn plantar fascia.) But beyond players on the 2018 roster, it’s fair to look at the void that has been created by players no longer wearing a Vikings uniform. After Terence Newman retired to become an assistant defensive backs coach, the Vikings turned to Mackensie Alexander and rookie Mike Hughes to fill the void at nickel corner. Newman's expertise at one of the most difficult positions on defense isn’t easily replaceable. While the Vikings continually voice support for their young slot corners, Newman’s leadership in the secondary could have mitigated some of the early communication issues. The Vikings' defense is almost the same as the unit that fielded a runner-up finish in the NFC. They have the same scheme, the same playcaller, the same defensive coordinator and only one new starter in Sheldon Richardson at 3-technique tackle. The key to a defensive turnaround likely falls within the Vikings' locker room. Maybe a trip back to the place where they lost their defensive identity is the first step in reclaiming it. "Everybody’s going to be down on us, which is fine, as they should," Iloka said. "We’re not playing to our capability, but we’re close, and that’s kind of how we have to approach it and clean up those things. We’ll be back where we want

FRISCO, Texas -- Before Sunday's game against the Detroit Lions, nobody knew who would lead the Dallas Cowboys’ pregame huddle. In the past, it was Jason Witten’s job to stoke the Cowboys’ fire, but he retired to ESPN’s Monday Night Football booth. The first three games of the season, it was Sean Lee’s job, but the veteran linebacker was out Sunday with a hamstring injury. “I’ll do it,” running back Ezekiel Elliott said, to the surprise of some inside the locker room. So there he was in the middle of all of the Cowboys, screaming and yelling. Everybody had his helmet on except Elliott, his hair flopping all over the place as he darted from one side of the circle to the next. Some players bounced up and down. Others swayed back and forth. Others acted like they were in church, agreeing with whatever Elliott was saying. Elliott ended his fiery speech with “dominate,” which everybody repeated. “Zeke did a good job just bringing out that natural energy. You can feel it, and you knew from that moment the team felt it, and it was something that we needed,” quarterback Dak Prescott said. “Zeke brought that energy there to the first play and all the way up to the last one.” Elliott followed his speech with what Jerry Jones called the running back’s best game as a Cowboy. He had 152 yards on 25 carries. He caught four passes for 88 yards, including a 38-yard touchdown. But the most important play was a 34-yard catch down the sideline that set up Brett Maher’s game-winning field goal. “He’s pretty chill,” right tackle La'el Collins said. “I definitely wasn’t expecting that from him [before the game]. Just brought some different type of spark.” That Elliott volunteered to lead the pregame huddle speaks to the evolution of his status. He has been the most important player on the team since the Cowboys selected him fourth overall in the 2016 draft, but he was content to stay in the background as Witten, Lee and others served as the leaders. A year ago, Elliott mostly kept to himself as he dealt with a suspension that cost him six games, while still performing at a high level. “This is a new dimension for me. I never really had to have been that guy,” Elliott said. “With Witt gone, Dez [Bryant] gone and Sean Lee getting hurt, you see opportunities open up, and sometimes you have to be that guy. And I’m going to do whatever I have to do for this team for whatever we have to do to be successful.” As outgoing as he seems, from doing the "feed me" gesture after long runs or jumping in the Salvation Army kettle after a touchdown as a rookie, Elliott said he has “never been that rah-rah guy.” “Game day, I really don’t talk much,” he said. “Pretty locked in. I don’t talk smack, anything. I may encourage my linemen. Honestly, I like to be locked in and let my play do the talking.” In training camp, he spoke about being more of a leader to the running backs after the departures of veteran backs Darren McFadden and Alfred Morris. Running backs coach Gary Brown has called Elliott a student of the game with his ability to understand defensive fronts and the leverage of offensive plays. “Obviously, he’s been here three years now, and he’s arguably our go-to guy, so I mean, that comes with the territory a little bit,” right guard Zack Martin said. “A lot of guys look to him to bring that energy and all that stuff.” As much as he has not been a designated leader in his career, he has always been "the guy." It was that way at John Burroughs High School in St. Louis. It was like that for his final two years at Ohio State. He wants that attention. In the victory over the Lions, Elliott became the first player with more than 200 scrimmage yards in a game this season. He accounted for 12 first downs (eight rushing, four receiving). The only other back to have as many in team history was the NFL’s all-time leading rusher, Emmitt Smith, who twice accounted for 12 first downs in a game in his Hall of Fame career. Given the offensive struggles to start the season, the Cowboys need Elliott to carry the load. “I love it. That’s why I was picked No. 4 overall,” Elliott said. “They believe in what I was able to do, and I got to thank this staff, got to thank my teammates, my coaches just for believing in me and having that faith in me knowing I can go out there and do it and helping me do it.” And the Cowboys will need him to continue their pregame hype session.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Joe Flacco is on pace to throw for 5,000 yards. The defense has yet to given up a touchdown in the second half. And Justin Tucker is the most accurate kicker in NFL history. The best team in the NFL right now? The consensus is the Los Angeles Rams, who sit atop most power rankings. But the most complete team in the NFL? That title currently goes to the Baltimore Ravens, and the numbers back this up. The Ravens are the only team to rank in the top 10 in offense, defense and special teams efficiency, according to ESPN Stats & Information. "The most balanced teams in this league usually have more success and have a chance to win late in the season, so that's where we're trying to be," safety Eric Weddle said. The undefeated Chiefs (4-0) have a superstar quarterback in Patrick Mahomes, but Kansas City's defense ranks last in the NFL. The Jaguars (3-1) have the NFL's top-ranked defense, but Jacksonville's offense is averaging 22 points (22nd in the league) and could struggle to hit that mark without injured running back Leonard Fournette. The undefeated Rams (4-0) rank in the top 10 in offense and defense, but they're having troubles replacing injured kicker Greg Zuerlein, and their defensive ranking seems inflated. Los Angeles' yards per play allowed is 22nd in the NFL. The Ravens (3-1), meanwhile, are clicking in all phases. Baltimore ranks No. 10 in offense because Flacco is healthier than he has been in three years and he has trust in his new targets (John Brown, Michael Crabtree and Willie Snead). The offense has scored at least 20 points in 13 straight games (dating to last season), which is the longest streak in the NFL. The Ravens rank No. 2 in defense with much of the credit going to the playcalling of first-year coordinator Don "Wink" Martindale. The defense has shut out teams in 10 of 16 quarters this season. And Tucker has made 28 of his past 29 field goals (96.5 percent), with his only miss resulting from a blocked kick. Baltimore should be even better going forward. Jimmy Smith, the team's top cornerback, is back from a four-game suspension, and tight end Hayden Hurst, the Ravens' top draft pick this year, is expected to make his NFL debut Sunday after being sidelined because of a stress fracture in his foot. "The pieces are in place where we can be really good," Pro Bowl guard Marshal Yanda said. "But that doesn't mean anything right now. You still have to go out and produce. We are doing a lot of good things in all three phases. That's a really good deal. We're all excited about it." The Ravens' early success has been a surprise nationally. The Pittsburgh Steelers entered the season as the overwhelming favorite to win the AFC North, and Baltimore was considered a team that could challenge for a playoff spot. In the ESPN Power Rankings, the Ravens were No. 21 in the preseason. Now, they're No. 7. The only two teams to rank in the top five in points scored and points allowed are the Ravens and the Rams. Baltimore has had a tougher schedule. The Ravens' first four opponents have a combined 7-8-1 record. Los Angeles' opponents are 4-11-1. "You want to be a balanced team," coach John Harbaugh said. "You want to be strong in every area. That's something we're building towards right now." The Ravens have their obvious weak spots. The running game has sputtered all season, averaging 3.1 yards per carry. The pass rush was nonexistent against Andy Dalton and Ben Roethlisberger. The return game has been underwhelming, and Baltimore is already on its second returner. But the Ravens have had few teams as well-rounded as this one in their 23-year history, even in their Super Bowl seasons. In 2000, the Ravens had a historically strong defense and a touchdown-challenged offense. In 2012, Flacco got on a hot streak in the postseason and the defense finished No. 17 in the league. "We've had a lot of good teams in here. We've had a lot of teams that have sustained good years through 16 games-plus," Flacco said. "It's tough to compare a team that's only been going at it for four weeks and talk us up more than we should. It's early in the year. We're playing well, but we're still making mistakes. We have potential to be a good football team."

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady became the third player in NFL history to throw 500 touchdown passes, reaching the mark in the fourth quarter of Thursday night's game against the Indianapolis Colts. Brady connected with wide receiver Josh Gordon on a 39-yard pass with 9:19 left to join Peyton Manning (539) and Brett Favre (508) as the only quarterbacks to throw for 500 touchdowns. New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees is on the cusp of becoming the fourth. "Things like that, milestones and so forth, there's so many people who contribute," Brady said after the team's 38-24 victory. "I just think of all the people who have really worked hard. A quarterback doesn't throw them to himself. He needs people to catch, and block, and the defense to make plays, and coaches to coach. These are all great team awards. Pretty cool." In joining that exclusive club, Brady became the first player to do so while playing for only one team. "It's tremendous. It's a lot of touchdown passes to a lot of different guys, too. ... No quarterback I'd rather have than Tom Brady," coach Bill Belichick said. Brady also set an NFL record by throwing at least one touchdown pass to 71 different players, breaking a tie with Vinny Testaverde for the most in NFL history. Gordon, who was playing in only his second game with the Patriots, said he was honored to be the 71st different player to catch a touchdown pass from Brady. "To catch any pass from Tom is amazing, let alone some history-making catch," Gordon said. "I told him, 'Congratulations' and I know there are many more from him to come. ... So I am looking forward to that and the next history point to make from him. I hope to be a part of it. It was awesome." Brady has also thrown 71 touchdown passes in the playoffs, but those don't count toward NFL record totals. He entered Thursday night with 568 touchdown passes when including the playoffs. Manning threw for an NFL-high 579 total touchdowns when including the playoffs. Brady has said in the past that the only stat that matters to him is victories, and he tied Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri for most wins by a player Thursday night with 226 (including playoffs). His teammates marveled at his accomplishments. "It's just surreal what he's doing at his age, how he feels, just the work ethic he has and how he brings it every practice and every game," tight end Rob Gronkowski said. "He just doesn't stop. It's an honor to be out on the field with him." Of Brady's 500 touchdown passes, here are a few notable highlights: His first touchdown pass was to wide receiver Terry Glenn on Oct. 14, 2001. He is one of two players to throw for 50 touchdowns in a season, along with Manning. His longest touchdown pass was 99 yards to Wes Welker, on Sept. 12, 2011, against Miami. There have been only 13 pass plays of 99 yards in league history. He has thrown 76 touchdown passes to tight end Rob Gronkowski, his most to any player. Randy Moss, with 39, is next on the list. He has thrown 68 touchdown passes against the Bills, his highest total against any team.

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank shook his head about the commotion created by top wide receiver Julio Jones not catching a touchdown pass through the first four games. "Julio doesn't care about stuff like that," Blank told ESPN. "Julio is a very selfless player. He cares about the team." Blank pointed to the last play of last week's 37-36 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals as evidence of what type of mentality Jones plays with on a weekly basis. "If you watch the replay on that, that was a [45]-yard pass, he caught it at the [10]-yard line, and he almost dragged three guys," Blank said. "He just doesn't give up. I mean, he's blocking all over the field, too. That's the kind of role model you want for a young player like Calvin Ridley. And Calvin's an anxious learner." Jones' lack of touchdown production might frustrate fantasy football owners, but he doesn't care. He often talks about how statistics are meaningless to him, especially if the team isn't winning. And the Falcons are 1-3 right now going into Sunday's crucial road game against the 1-2-1 Pittsburgh Steelers (1 p.m. ET, Fox). Jones leads the NFL with 502 receiving yards on 29 catches, and his 125.5 receiving yards per game puts him on pace to become the first player in NFL history to reach 2,000 receiving yards. However, the focus from the outside always appears to shift to why Jones hasn't scored a touchdown, particularly coming off three total touchdowns last season. In 2017, he didn't score his first touchdown until Oct. 22 against the Patriots. "His production is through the roof," quarterback Matt Ryan said in defense of Jones. "I think he's leading the league in yards. ... He's going to find the end zone. People are accounting for him and are continuing to account for him, even with the production of other guys. So he stays unselfish when he gets his opportunities and makes plays. Nobody plays harder than him. We'd love for him to get in the end zone, but we have to find ways to get into the end zone, whoever [it] is. And he's 100 percent on board with that, too." The Falcons are 12-of-18 in the red zone this season with Ryan throwing eight touchdowns, four to the rookie Ridley, who leads the NFL with six touchdown receptions. Jones has been targeted three times on 25 routes in the red zone and has no catches to show for it. All three targets were in a season-opening loss at Philadelphia, and the last one could have been a game winner had it been placed where Ryan wanted to throw it. In taking a look back at Ryan's eight red zone touchdown passes, each went to the side opposite of where Jones was lined up. Last week against the Bengals, Jones was bracketed out of the slot to the right when Ryan found Ridley for an 11-yard touchdown off a slant to the left. And Ryan found tight end Logan Paulsen for a touchdown on the right side as Jones and Mohamed Sanu aligned left with three defenders, with the safety ready to double either one. "Going into a game, D-coordinators, they're usually going to take me away, and I'm completely fine with that," Jones said. "We've got guys to make them pay. As you see, Calvin's been taking advantage of his opportunities, and that's why we drafted him here, to do those things. Mohamed is another guy. Austin Hooper is another one. I mean, it goes on. A lot of guys are stepping up and making plays when they get their one-on-one matchups." Former NFL coach Bruce Arians, now an analyst for CBS, was impressed with Jones' selfless approach when he sat down with the Falcons star last week. "Julio just wants to win," Arians said. "In talking to Julio, he's so happy for Calvin, and that's what it takes. You need a leader in the room that is unselfish and just wants to win, and they have that." Maybe Jones will find the end zone Sunday in Pittsburgh. Besides, the Steelers have allowed 12 touchdown passes to opponents, the second most in the league behind Tampa Bay (13). But for Jones, a win is much more important than breaking his personal scoreless streak. Right now the Falcons need the offense to carry the load with so many injuries on defense, and Jones firmly believes the offense hasn't played a complete game yet. "It's all about my teammates and being successful, at the end of the day," Jones said. "I've had a lot of success by myself, but it's not good when you can't go and accomplish things as a team and have success as a team."

THE Rabbitohs have confirmed Sam Burgess will miss England’s Test series against New Zealand with shoulder and wrist injuries. Burgess confirmed through a Rabbitohs statement that he will not travel to the UK, despite originally being named in Wayne Bennett’s original 24-man squad. The 29-year-old captain will undergo off-season surgery in preparation for the Rabbitohs 2019 NRL campaign. “I’m gutted that I have had to withdraw from these matches as I love playing for my country and it is a great honour,” Burgess said. “The reality of the situation is that it’s imperative that I get these surgeries done, and with a view to the next three or four years, I need to get them done now. “I’ll be watching on from Australia and cheering on England against France and New Zealand, and I’m sure the team will do England proud.” Burgess suffered a difficult end to the season, after the saga surrounding the nude photos reportedly sent from his social media account. The 2014 premiership winn`er was cleared by an investigation and has insinuated he may explore legal action. England will take on the Kiwis in three Tests in October and November. Sam’s twin brothers Tom and George have been named in the squad, with George recalled to Bennett’s team after missing last year’s World Cup. Squad: John Bateman (Wigan), George Burgess (South Sydney) Tom Burgess (South Sydney), Daryl Clark (Warrington), Jake Connor (Hull), Luke Gale (Castleford), James Graham (St George Illawarra), Joe Greenwood (Wigan), Chris Hill (Warrington), Josh Hodgson (Canberra), Tom Johnstone (Wakefield), Jonny Lomax (St Helens), Reece Lyne (Wakefield), Tommy Makinson (St Helens), Jermaine McGillvary (Huddersfield), Adam Milner (Castleford), Sean O’Loughlin (Wigan), Mark Percival (St Helens), Stefan Ratchford (Warrington), Luke Thompson (St Helens), Sam Tomkins (Wigan), Elliott Whitehead (Canberra), George Williams (Wigan).

IT is not everyone’s cup of tea but the UFC is a juggernaut, and one of the biggest fights in its history is finally here. Controversy magnet Conor McGregor will return to the Octagon on Sunday for the first time since November 2016 in his first fight of any type since his famous clash with Floyd Mayweather in August last year. Standing in the way of a triumphant return for McGregor is his new archrival Khabib Nurmagomedov with the Russian to go into the fight as a $1.62 favourite. Nurmagomedov has fought on 26 occasions and has never looked like getting beaten. It also appears that he has not been affected by the usual McGregor mind games, which included a violent bus attack that landed McGregor in jail. Nurmagomedov may be favourite, but no fighter in history has been more popular with Ladbrokes punters than McGregor and that has continued in the build-up to the bout. McGregor accounts for over 80 per cent of the bets placed on the fight and public sentiment is clearly with him, but some big punters have jumped on the $1.62 available for a Nurmagomedov win in the past couple of days. Ladbrokes have a special available for the fight, offering $3 for McGregor to win the fight in any one of the first three rounds. Considering that 19 of McGregor’s 21 wins have come within three rounds, this represents some genuine value. CRICKET AUSTRALIA and Pakistan begin their two-Test series on Sunday afternoon and you would think Tim Paine will be leading a team with at least two spinners given the scorching heat of Dubai. Nathan Lyon took eight wickets in the first innings of the practice match against Pakistan A and Jon Holland five wickets in the second. Lyon represents Australia’s best chance of recording an upset win against Pakistan, who are currently $2 favourites. Lyon to be the leading Australian wicket-taker in the first innings is the same odds as an Aussie win at $2.75, and betting on Lyon rather than Australia as a whole may prove to be the safer play. NBL THE NBL has made some serious strides in recent seasons and there is plenty of interest ahead of the start of the 2018-19 season next Thursday. Andrew Bogut factor has played a key role in futures betting with Ladbrokes, with his Sydney Kings $2.75 to claim their first NBL Championship since 2005. Last year’s champions Melbourne United are on the second line of betting at a quote of $3.50 and punters seem confident of a grand final Series between Sydney and Melbourne. Perennial powerhouse Perth Wildcats and the New Zealand Breakers are at $8, followed by the Cairns Taipans at $10, the Adelaide 36ers at $11 and the Illawarra Hawks at $13. The Brisbane Bullets have had a couple of tough seasons since rejoining the NBL, and have blown out to $21 after a horror run of injuries and indifferent pre-season results. NFL THE Los Angeles Rams — 4-0 for the first time in almost 20 years — are close to regaining the club’s one-time moniker as “the greatest show on turf”. With a dominant defence and a thrilling offence, many NFL pundits are locking in the Rams as their Super Bowl 53 pick. The Rams have been crunched into $4.75 to win the Super Bowl after starting the season at $10. The other big movers have been the Kansas City Chiefs. They are now into $7.50 and while their offence is as explosive as any, their defence is bad, which makes their philosophy very simple — you can score points on us, but we’ll just score more than you. As we pass the quarter-way mark of the regular season, the pressure is mounting on a handful of franchises expected to do big things this season. The loser of the clash between Pittsburgh and Atlanta will have just one win after five matches, while the replay of last season’s NFC Championship game between Philadelphia and Minnesota also has plenty riding on it. A loss for the championship-winning Eagles would leave them 2-3, and defeat for the Vikings would have them even more precariously placed at 1-1-3.

ANDREW Johns says the Storm’s remarkable era of dominance is over. Since Cameron Smith, Billy Slater and Cooper Cronk came on the scene 15 years ago, Melbourne have been perennial contenders, and big-game specialists. But with Slater hanging up the boots, Smith close to retirement, and Cronk now winning premierships with the Roosters, the eighth Immortal reckons the sun is setting on those halcyon days. “Cameron Smith hasn’t really said if he’s going to play on or not,” Johns told Wide World of Sports for Immortal Behaviour. “But it’s the end of an era and you can’t replace those players, so they have to blow the club up and start again, especially they’re attack, how they attack differently. “For me I think they’re about to come back to the field.” The stinging assessment follows the Storm’s limp 21-6 grand final loss to the Roosters last Sunday night, which Johns described as the “worst I’ve seen Melbourne Storm play for probably 10 years”. And they blitzed the Cronulla Sharks in the grand final qualifier on the back of a masterclass from the now-retired Slater, who many regard as the greatest fullback to have ever played the game. So, it is of course difficult to see the Storm maintaining that same aura of strength that they’ve built over a sustained period of success. It will be even more so, if Smith calls time on his illustrious career too. The Immortal-in-waiting set tongues wagging prior to the grand final, saying he hadn’t made up his mind on the subject. But after their heavy loss in the decider, and the fact he’s in reach of becoming the first ever 400-game NRL player, it is highly unlikely he won’t play on for one more season. The Storm also still have champion coach Craig Bellamy at the helm. He took them from 10th place in 2002 to fifth in 2003, and developed at least one certain future Immortals inductee. If he can hold on to Kangaroos five-eighth Cameron Munster, they will also have a number of quality young players capable of ensuring the club remains a competitive force.

ALI Brigginshaw is still on cloud nine after the Brisbane Broncos impressively claimed the inaugural NRLW premiership last Sunday with grand final glory over the Sydney Roosters. The Broncos women won all four of their games, including their impressive 34-12 victory over the Chooks in the decider. And on Friday, they were the pride of Brisbane with Lord Mayor Graham Quirk presenting the team with the key to the city. At the presentation, skipper Brigginshaw confidently told NRL.comthat a dynasty is beckoning. “We want to keep winning that premiership and I believe we can,” she said. “There is nothing better than winning and to win all four games was huge.” She said the Broncos were aiming to keep their core squad intact, which is littered with Jillaroos including this year’s Dally M Female Player of the Year Brittany Breayley. “The majority of the girls will be here next year and there is so much more we can do. I can’t believe how far the girls have come in eight weeks. They are completely different people on and off the field,” she continued. “It is made up of people that have played one year, 10 years, a couple of games... and it is made of such a different group of girls and cultures. We can add some new people and new young ones in particular, but right now we have a great feel and a great bond within this team that I don’t think others have.” Brigginshaw couldn’t believe the reception the team received as they showed off the trophy, and said it would only help strengthen the girls’ desire to play on. “It is huge for Brisbane for us to bring home that trophy and that is something we are sharing with the people today,” she said. “I feel like it really is good for the girls to see how much Brisbane does care about us and how we have done the city proud. “We have created history and just walking over the bridge to come here people were stopping us and congratulating us and saying positive things.”

ONE is a New Zealand international and the other is Anthony Milford. So it may sound ridiculous to suggest that the Broncos’ halves pairing of Milford and Kodi Nikorima doesn’t have what it takes to clinch Brisbane’s first premiership since 2006. But the club’s early finals exit in 2018 has done nothing but kick up more discontent over their selection. The Broncos have one of the strongest forward packs in the competition and their halfback and five-eighth should be firing on the back of their go-forward. Unfortunately, their impact on games was erratic to say the least. Milford produces moments that only the very elite players can muster, and Nikorima is an electrifying ball-runner. But as former Broncos great Justin Hodges — who played alongside both men in their 2015 grand final run — points out, they’re still young and need special attention to develop their games and find the consistency required at NRL level. “I’d like a little work done with Anthony Milford. I think just to keep him involved in the game,” Hodges said. “Sometimes he has such brilliant pieces of play and then he sort of goes missing for a little bit, he has lapses. “I think 2015 was his best year, him and Ben Hunt. And that’s because Kevvie (Walters) worked with them everyday, whether it was video, whether it was out on the field, trying to develop their game.” Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga agreed, saying he’d be happy to stick with the combination if he was Wayne Bennett, but they certainly needed work. “The seven and six need to keep on with their development,” he said. “I thought they finished off the year really well. Nikorima attack-wise was excellent, but he can get exposed obviously defensively. And Milford… they’ve just got to keep on improving really. “They’re 24 years of age, really important cogs in the wheel.” Of course, there were other reasons the Broncos ran out of gas. Kangaroos veteran Matt Gillett has been one of their most important players for the past nine seasons, and his season ending neck fracture after just five games, was always going to be difficult to recover from. Then all the hoopla over Bennett’s feud with CEO Paul White, and the speculation over his future no doubt distracted the team at a crucial stage of the season. Still, they’ve retained most of their up and coming superstars. So, with more consistency from their international halves, they should be contenders in 2019. BEST STATS — Jamayne Isaako finished second behind Latrell Mitchell (248) for points with a whopping 239 in his first full season in the NRL. — Corey Oates finished equal fourth in the NRL for tries scored with 18 four pointers. Only David Fusitu’a (23), Valentine Holmes (22) and Robert Jennings (19) had more. — Darius Boyd had one of his most consistent season in terms of time on the park, playing 25 games and finishing 11th for total minute played with 2,008. PLAYER OF THE YEAR Josh McGuire Jamaayne Issako was hands down the Broncos rookie of the year, but for pure leadership and consistency of performance, there were none better than Josh McGuire in 2018. The Origin and Australian representative overcame some early injury troubles to carry the Broncos through parts of the back end of the season. McGuire filled in at hooker in Andrew McCullough’s injury enforced absences and was able to produce his best for the team no matter what the role. The uncompromising lock is one of the toughest players in the competition and his example is crucial to show the way forward for the boom youngsters that Wayne Bennett has in his forward pack.

LESS than two weeks after announcing he was leaving the Warringah Rats to join Andrew Forrest’s touted Western Sydney club in the World Series Rugby competition, Darren Coleman has sensationally joined Gordon Rugby Club. The decision to join Gordon’s Shute Shield campaign for the 2019 season comes after late developments which have clouded Forrest’s proposed Western Sydney World Series expansion. “When I resigned from Warringah two weeks ago the plan was definitely to go to the Western Sydney franchise in that competition,” Coleman told foxsports.com.au. “But in the last few days I’ve had some advice that’s on shaky ground and my understanding now is that team won’t be included in 2019. “I’ve consequently connected with Gordon who were in search for a coach and I’ve ended up there.” Forrest had hoped to tap into the Western Sydney market, particularly after the removal of the Penrith Emus from the Shute Shield left the region without a rugby club, but that now appears unlikely. While NSW Rugby and Rugby Australia are believed to have been cautious about the mooted Western Sydney club because of the impact it would have on the Shute Shield, conversations have been positive between the parties. Coleman explored the idea of returning to the Rats, but it was agreed the two would cut ties. “I discussed with the VP of rugby with that this morning and two weeks ago I resigned and both parties were moving on,” Coleman said. “I had a wonderful time at Warringah and I’m really thankful for the experience that I’ve had there and the understanding that the board has shown me in allowing me to pursue things. “I’ve got nothing but kind and positive words to say about the Warringah club and people.” Gordon, who finished last on the Shute Shield standings following the culling of Penrith, have been on the hunt for a new head coach for some time after they sacked Mark Philip early in the season and brought in Kolose Feaunati on a caretaker basis. While conversations moved quickly over the past few days to secure Coleman, it’s understood discussions between the respective parties began weeks ago. Coleman’s arrival is a coup for Gordon. The full-time rugby coach led the Rats to their first premiership in 12 years in 2017 and followed up their Shute Shield title by another grand final appearance this season. Gordon managed just one win in 2018 and their first-grade side was involved in an all-in brawl at a training session. Ironically, they came close to pulling off one of the upsets of the year against the Rats. It’s believed that Coleman is viewing the opportunity to elevate Gordon, who have one of the most exciting colts squads in Sydney, up the standings as his best chance to press for a Super Rugby coaching gig. “Like everyone, you aspire to go to higher levels of the game but at this point in time those opportunities aren’t presenting themselves,” Coleman said. “I like the challenge that different teams and different clubs present. “Of course everyone wants to test themselves at the best possible level. “I coach at the NRC level and I was very open to the Western Sydney in a fully professional franchise, (but) it just doesn’t seem it’ll bear fruit in the short-term so I had to make a decision based on my family.” Coleman said he hoped to change the culture of Gordon and bring the community together. “Just like anytime you go into a new place, you’ve got to meet the people and work out who wants to be involved and who doesn’t,” Coleman said. “My first goal is to set up a rugby program that Gordon colts, which are very strong, want to be a part of and move to grade and be a part of a strong club. “And potentially bring ex-Gordon players, who left for various reasons, who may see it as a worthwhile club and a high quality football program to join.”

IF Manchester City want to inflict the first blow on Liverpool’s title challenge, this is the time to do it. Despite the Reds unbeaten start in the league, the last three games have shown that Jurgen Klopp’s team is not operating at peak capacity. Three games without a win is hardly a crisis — but two defeats in those (at home to Chelsea in the Carabao Cup, and away to Napoli in the Champions League). And that loss in Italy was the first time since February 2006 that Liverpool have failed to get a single shot on target in a Champions League game. Klopp’s men have enjoyed a singular dominance over Pep Guardiola’s City in recent games, winning the corresponding fixture last year 4-3, and not forgetting those titanic Champions League semi-finals. It has in fact been 15 years since City last won at Anfield — but the memory of the 5-0 thrashing at the Etihad at the start of last season still remains. The problem for Liverpool, unusually, has been the stuttering of their usually fluid attack. Whereas last season, Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firminho and Sadio Mane couldn’t fall over without putting the ball in the net, this season the end product just isn’t coming. Only 7 of Liverpool’s 15 goals have come from open play — compared to City’s 16 out of 21. No wonder, then that Guardiola’s side are also averaging almost 10 more shots per game. This is the key difference between the two right now — fluency in attack. And it is likely to be the difference this weekend. City captain Victor Kompany got it right when he said earlier this week that this clash will be decided by “small margins”. The two teams are very close but City’s consistency with those clinical short passing moves looks set to give them the edge against a Liverpool defence that has been looked unusually exposed in those past three defeats. Granted, Chelsea were reliant on the brilliance of Eden Hazard — Liverpool had more shots in both the league draw and the Cup defeat and suffered for not converting them. Not scoring isn’t really a concern as long as you keep making opportunities — But what happens when you can’t create those either? That is what happened in the Champions League against Napoli, and just as against Chelsea, it was too much space between defenders that saw Liverpool concede goals. And those spaces are what City’s attackers look for. That’s where the small margins will be found. And yet, it should be noted that City have not been completely perfect either. They also suffered a home defeat — to Lyon in their Champions league opener — and had to scrap for victory against Hoffenheim midweek. And Guardiola’s unbeaten Premier League record has come largely at the expense of five of the teams already occupying the bottom six on the table: Huddersfield, Newcastle, Fulham, Cardiff and Brighton. Perfect fodder for Sergio Aguero and Raheem Sterling to maintain the champions’ winning start. But it is City’s first-choice midfielders of David Silva, Bernardo Silva, Fernandinho and Ilkay Gundogan (seven goals between them) that engineer those chances, a trio boasting far great technique, forward momentum and attacking threat than Liverpool’s usual selection of Jordan Henderson, Georgio Wijnaldum, James Milner and the injured Naby Keita (three goals). And if momentum counts for anything, this weekend it is with City, with winning their last four games by a margin of 12 goals to one. See? Not perfect … This weekend, City’s team bus will take a secret route to Anfield, so as not to get ambushed by fired-up Reds fans as it was last season. Guardiola knows what awaits in Liverpool now and he’s prepared for it. It’s just another small margin on City have closed down on what could be a route to a hugely significant victory.

DENVER Nuggets coach Michael Malone has declared Perth Wildcats star Bryce Cotton could easily return to the NBA after watching him score a game-high 33 points during today’s NBA pre-season game. The Nuggets beat Perth 96-88, but received an almighty scare when the Wildcats reduced a 20-point deficit to just one point during the third quarter. Cotton’s tally was the most by a NBL player against a NBA opponent. Malone previously worked at Cotton’s college, Providence, and said there was no doubt he could earn another NBA contract. “He’s played in the NBA before. I think he has shown he is good enough to be on a NBA roster,” Malone said. “Obviously right now he feels he has good situation over there playing for Perth. If he’s happy, good for him. If he wants to come back, I’m sure there are teams that would be interested in having him back. “Bryce Cotton had a hell of a game. He was terrific tonight.” Cotton signed a three-year contract with Perth after winning last season’s NBL MVP award. But his contract includes an out-clause if a NBA contract comes his way. Cotton said he appreciated Malone’s comments but he was focused on helping Perth to win another title. “If the opportunity ever presents itself, of course I am there,” Cotton said. “But until then I have to handle what’s in my control and right now I am in Perth so that’s what I’ve got to focus on. I’m more than happy to be here.” The Wildcats were desperate to earn back respect after losing to Utah by 58 points last week. They did so with manic pressure that led to the Nuggets becoming frustrated and committing turnovers. Perth coach Trevor Gleeson was thrilled with their efforts. “I’m very proud of the guys,” Gleeson said. “We played Wildcats basketball and were getting after them. I think we out-scored them in one or two quarters. It was pretty good. “It was our defensive intensity. That’s where we’ve got to bring energy first – from the defence and now worry about our shot making. I think we got seven stops at the end of the second quarter and four of those were turnovers. It really energised us to get after it.” Jesse Wagstaff was also fantastic for the Wildcats with 18 points. Wagstaff attended college in Denver, as did Nick Kay and he led the team’s rebounding with eight for the game. Clint Steindl scored 11 points. Malone said the Wildcats had impressed him. “We knew this wouldn’t be an easy game,” he said. “Obviously after the game in Utah, those guys have pride. They’re tough, they’re physical and they compete. They did that for 48 minutes. I have a lot of respect for them and the job they are doing.”