The European soccer weekend is over, but we have so much to talk about as a result -- where to begin? How about Barcelona's young stars visiting Real Madrid in El Clasico and emerging 4-0 winners to take a six-point lead atop LaLiga? Still not enough? How about Manchester United losing in dramatic fashion at West Ham and then sacking manager Erik ten Hag on Monday morning?

Still insufficient? There was a lot to admire from two high-profile, top-of-the-table draws -- Inter Milan 4-4 Juventus in Serie A, Arsenal 2-2 Liverpool in the Premier League -- and talking points galore around Manchester City, Chelsea, Napoli, Borussia Dortmund, Paris Saint-Germain and many, many more.

It's Monday. Gab Marcotti reacts to the biggest moments in the world of soccer.

Flick's leap of faith pays off as Barcelona dole out a beatdown for the ages in El Clasico

Two clubs, two different attitudes towards risk. For Carlo Ancelotti's Real Madrid, you limit the risk with two banks of four in defense and midfield while you wait for your superstar strikers, Vinícius and Kylian Mbappé, to do something at the other end. (More on this later.) For Hansi Flick and Barcelona, you embrace risk by playing a ridiculously high defensive line, compressing the spaces and going direct whenever you can.

Yet, it's a bit simplistic, but the broad brushstrokes paint an accurate picture. Flick didn't change his approach one iota, even as he was going into the Bernabeu knowing that defeat in the Clasico would leave his side level on points. (Instead, the 4-0 win means they're six points clear.) And it was especially risky because a high line against roadrunners like Mbappé and Vinicius is -- conventional wisdom would say -- downright foolish. So is going direct (and therefore turning over the ball frequently) while attempting to counterpress with a 36-year-old Robert Lewandowski up front.

But heck, it's what Flick has done all season on the pitch and, in fact, leaps of faith and taking risks are what he does. Not so much by stuffing the lineup with kids from "La Masia" -- injuries and the club's precarious financial state forced his hand. Rather, by departing from the club's long-held and much vaunted possession-oriented DNA, and transitioning to this version of pinball-and-pressing football, designed to maximize the skills of guys such as Raphinha and Lamine Yamal.

On the night, it worked a charm. Real Madrid's forwards were caught offside no fewer than 12 times, Lewandowski scored twice -- he could have had four -- and the psychological blow inflicted on Barca's age-old adversary with the 4-0 away win will resonate for a long time.

By the way, let's be clear here. Flick isn't just some high-risk/high-reward gambler, and there's a ton of hard work behind his game plan.

Those same Barca kids whom everybody lauds grew up in an academy where they preach a very different type of football. It's a credit to his coaching -- and their coachability -- that they adjusted so quickly to his approach. And there were important tweaks, too. You can't play a high line without pressing from the front and, with Lewandowski's legs being what they are, the way Fermín López ran around for the first 45 minutes was critical to Barca's success.

Equally, you can only play the offside trap if your back line is disciplined and well-marshalled: that comes from the training pitch. Sending on Dani Olmo once Madrid were 2-0 down and forced to gamble was critical, too: he was instrumental in the third goal.

As for Real Madrid, Ancelotti said they were evenly matched until the first goal, but "were not efficient." He's right. But the reality is that Real Madrid are rarely efficient this year if, by efficiency, we mean the ability to dominate opponents with your patterns of play, controlling games and creating chances. We've said it before -- heck, Ancelotti has said before -- this is a team still striving for balance.

There's no escaping the fact that Vinicius and Mbappe both do little work off the ball and both gravitate toward similar spaces. And with Toni Kroos gone and Luka Modric now literally the oldest player in the history of the club (he came on at the hour mark: having started in midweek you couldn't ask any more of him), there's a serious dearth of creativity coming from the middle.

And so Real Madrid become what some have called "a team of moments" -- moments of genius and brilliance from Mbappé or Vinicius, or Jude Bellingham, or Fede Valverde or whomever. With so much firepower, the keep-it-tight-and-wait-for-something-to-happen game plan may be uninspired, but it's probably the right choice. Except on this night, there were no "moments" because the offside went against them. (Would this match have turned out differently without VAR and a single human with a flag deciding on the sideline whether or Mbappe was onside? We'll never know: it's one for the VAR-haters to mull over.)

Also, their back line was anything but tight. Ferland Mendy played Lewandowski onside for the opener, Éder Militão and Antonio Rüdiger lost him for the second goal, and there was no Thibaut Courtois (injured) to deliver miracles between the sticks.

This Madrid team needs a pick-me-up, and they need in double-quick time. Perhaps realising they were two goals down at home to Borussia Dortmund and understanding just how the pieces aren't fitting together would be a good start.

As for Barcelona, Flick deserves to bask in the glory of the win. You've probably seen the numbers. Six players aged 21 or younger (including two 17-year-olds, Marc Casadó and Yamal) in the starting lineup. Three projected starters on the bench (Gavi, Frenkie De Jong, Olmo) and another two (Ronald Araújo, Marc-André ter Stegen) out injured. A goalkeeper (Iñaki Peña) so distrusted that when ter Stegen went down hurt, they persuaded Wojciech Szczęsny to come out of retirement. A 33-year-old central defender (Iñigo Martínez) who arrived as a free agent last year and started just 13 games. A superstar, Raphinha, who many wanted out in the summer because he was a "sellable asset." A center-forward, Lewandowski, who looked cooked late last season.

And here they are.

The challenge now for Flick is integrating the likes of Olmo, Gavi and De Jong into the starting lineup without losing momentum or upsetting the balance. But at least he has the balance -- the sort of balance Ancelotti would kill for right now.

Erik ten Hag is gone. What's next for Man United?

If you only watched selective highlights of Sunday's trip to West Ham, you might even feel a bit bad for Erik ten Hag getting fired after a game in which Manchester United created a ton of chances and only succumbed to a very controversial late penalty (which saw referee David Coote inexplicably change his mind following the on-field review). If you watched the game, you'd probably agree that, a bit like at Brentford, United collapsed badly after the break as evidenced by the Expected Goals: 1.72 to 0.04 to United in the first half, 2.97 to 0.62 in the second. (Even if you exclude the dubious penalty, that's still way too one-sided.)

Besides, grown-up clubs do not sack coaches based on one result, and I don't want to believe that now they have grown-ups in charge -- Dan Ashworth, Omar Berrada, Jean Claude Blanc, Dave Brailsford, Jason Wilcox and, of course Jim Ratcliffe -- they pulled the trigger based on Coote's decision. There's not much point in looking back at this stage, other than to note the earlier mistakes -- like not parting ways earlier and giving him a contract extension and making Ten Hag looks silly with his "fairy tales and lies" comment -- so let's look forward.

Broadly speaking, there are two options. You either appoint your long-term coach in the coming weeks, or you find an interim guy and take your time to find the right person for next season. With Thomas Tuchel (now with England) off the table, the list of credible bosses available basically amounts to Graham Potter, Roberto Mancini (freshly sacked by Saudi Arabia), Max Allegri, Xavi, Gareth Southgate (except he's already said he wants a sabbatical) and not many others. It's not the most inspiring list, and all of them (other than Mancini) were available in the summer, which suggests they were passed over once before.

So do you go the season-long interim route with Ruud van Nistelrooy (or someone else) and put all your eggs into luring a top name? Maybe, but that has its cons as well. You want your club to be building towards something, and that's hard to do with an interim boss. And you still need to get results on the pitch -- at least good enough to qualify for meaningful European football next season -- otherwise you'll take a hit commercially (and in terms of your rebuilding budget) and risk impairing your ability to attract talent.

It's a big call to make.

The good news is that this United squad is ripe for a rebuild. Victor Lindelöf, Harry Maguire, Casemiro and Christian Eriksen are all free agents come June, which gives you flexibility on the wage bill, and there is a legitimate young corps of talent in Kobbie Mainoo, Rasmus Hojlund, Alejandro Garnacho, Manuel Ugarte, Amad Diallo and Joshua Zirkzee: they might not all work out, but they all have something to give. With the clock ticking on Ratcliffe's time in charge of the football side, this will be one of the biggest calls he makes.

Inter Milan and Juventus serve up an eight-goal thriller, so why is Simone Inzaghi so glum?

I'm kidding. I know why! It's because Inter were 4-2 up at home with 20 minutes to go and had to settle for a point. This is still Serie A we're talking about; you can be the most progressive, innovative guy (and Inzaghi remains one of the most underrated coaches out there), but you're still stuck to the old canons and unwritten rules. So when Inter concede a goal, like Kenan Yildiz's first (which made it 4-3) because the center-backs are way up the pitch counter-pressing, you look stupid. And you look stupid when, at 4-2, you create a ton of chance that you fail to convert.

Defensive errors will happen, especially when you take risks. You hope Inzaghi remembers that -- just as he remembers that Hakan Çalhanoğlu's absence weighs heavy, too. It's not that Piotr Zielinski did a poor job replacing him, just that he's a different sort of player. If you want to nitpick and play the grouch after a thrilling like this, then point the finger at Lautaro Martínez having one of his poorest outings of the season. But that too can happen, and it's beyond Inzaghi's control.

As for Juve, coach Thiago Motta was beaming and rightly so. To get this sort of reaction after one of the poorest outings in recent memory (the Stuttgart debacle) means a lot. Unleashing Weston McKennie through the middle was also inspired, and the decision to take off Dusan Vlahovic was both brave and vindicated by the outcome. And then there's Kenan Yildiz, still just 19, but with quality and personality. Let's leave the Del Piero comparisons to one side for now, but the kid is special. Oh, and lest we forget, this is a Juve side without their defensive leader (Bremer) and two of their top summer signings (Teun Koopmeiners, Nico Gonzalez).

Motta is different, for better or worse. Just enjoy the ride.

Arsenal show personality, Liverpool show staying power and humility in 2-2 draw

Defeat at Bournemouth, an ugly win at home to Shakhtar Donetsk, three defenders missing (and another two, Jurriën Timber and Gabriel, who would join them shortly), no Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka just coming back after a two-and-a-half week layoff ... and the Premier League leaders, Liverpool, coming to the Emirates. Slip up and you're fifth in the table. So much for challenging Manchester City.

The stakes were high for Arsenal, and Mikel Arteta found the right blend of players to get the reaction he needed. Arsenal outworked Liverpool for long stretches and went into half-time with a deserved 2-1 lead. When Timber went off, leaving them with a back four of (from right-to-left) Thomas Partey, Ben White, Jakub Kiwior and Myles Lewis-Skelly, they had no choice but to go into lockdown mode. They gave up Mohamed Salah's equaliser, but otherwise mitigated the damage, limiting Liverpool's chances.

It might have felt like two points dropped to some, but the reaction and spirit they showed will stick with Arteta's men for a long time. They are for real.

As for Liverpool, Arne Slot showed Arsenal respect by switching to a 4-3-3 formation, dropping Dominik Szoboszlai and putting Curtis Jones in midfield. That shouldn't have come as a surprise as Slot himself, when asked about the club's excellent start, pointed out that they hadn't faced many top sides. Nearly three months into his tenure, it's pretty obvious that he's more pragmatic than his predecessor and that's frankly what Liverpool need right now. There will be time to get fancy down the road...

Quick hits

10. Sometimes you wonder if it's "Pinocchio Pep" in charge: Manchester City beat Southampton at home by a single scrambled goal from Erling Haaland (who could easily have had a hat-trick) on Saturday, with the visitors hitting the woodwork. Still, it was surprising to hear Pep Guardiola call Southampton -- who are dead last with one point from nine games -- "so demanding" and "one of the best teams in the Premier League" given not just the chances missed, but the final xG that favoured City 2.73 to 0.21. Pep said he admired the way Southampton kept possession, blunting City's press ("defending with the ball," he called it). Isn't the point of defending not to concede quality chances? (Southampton have the second worst xG conceded in the league.) Sometimes you wonder if Pep is just overly polite towards colleagues, or perhaps having a secret giggle to himself with some of his postgame comments.

9. Bayern vent post-Barcelona frustrations on little Bochum: They overcame an early brain fart from Min-Jae Kim (who did very well to recover) and then it was lights out: Bayern's 5-0 away demolition of Bochum felt like a side with something to prove. It's not just the score and the opponent -- Bochum are terrible, winless in the Bundesliga while losing seven of eight -- but the quality of the goals, from Michael Olise's free kick to Leroy Sané's curler to Kingsley Coman's long-range effort. Plus, of course, Jamal Musiala. He didn't start in midweek, but this time scored a rare header and his mazy run set up Harry Kane's goal. Normal service resumes.

8. It's not just about Cole Palmer, as Chelsea are now a point out of third place: Palmer has been phenomenal (his pass, his goal, he's just great) this season, but what you saw in Sunday's 2-1 win over Newcastle was a team continuing to develop an identity and not just winning because of individuals. There's a ways to go -- they lost the xG battle against a Newcastle side who are nothing to write home about right now -- and it's not a great sign they look better with Romeo Lavia than Enzo Fernández in midfield because this remains a poorly put together squad. However, coach Enzo Maresca has put his stamp on the side and for the first time in a while, there's a real sense of positivity at Stamford Bridge.

7. Another 1-0 win for league-leading Napoli, but this was better: Against Empoli, a week ago, things could have gone the other way. This time, Antonio Conte is correct when he says his team dominated. Sure, it would be better if they converted their chances (looking at you, Romelu Lukaku ... still far from his best) but it was nice to see him rotate and the second-stringers pull their weight. It's a cliche, but with no European football, this season seems tailor made for Conte. And with Inter and Juventus sharing the spoils, the lead is up to four points.

6. Leverkusen drop points (again), but is Xhaka right to rage? Xabi Alonso's side drew 2-2 away to Werder Bremen, twice giving up the lead. Unlike other outings, the xG went against them (1.33 to 1.60), they only equalised thanks to a weird sliced botched clearance and they've now won two of their last six games in all competitions. Team captain Granit Xhaka let it all out, and not for the first time: "This feels like a defeat ... We all need to give 10-20% more ... I have to be careful what I say ... but we need to face reality." As a journalist, you love it when players are honest. If I were a club official (or Xabi Alonso) though, I might not appreciate such bluntness. But he's right about facing reality: this year's version of Bayer is several notches below last year's.

5. Ange Postecoglou's Spurs take a big step backwards: A week ago, I praised Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou for turning the game around and beating West Ham after taking off one of his midfield ballers (James Maddison) for the more physical and athletic Pape Sarr. This time, a goal down against Palace, he didn't just take off Maddison, but also his other creative midfielder, Dejan Kulusevski, ending with a kind of 4-2-4 formation that simply didn't work. Yeah, the absence of Heung-Min Son weighs heavy, but changes like that -- when you throw out the baby with the bathwater -- don't help either.

4. Le Classique is over after 20 minutes as PSG cruise to victory: It would have been nice to see the Roberto De Zerbi vs. Luis Enrique clash fully blossom on Sunday, but in essence we never did. Gerónimo Rulli's early mistake gave PSG the lead and Amine Harit's red card (harsh, in my opinion) left Marseille a man down and without the brains of the operation midway through the first half. PSG scored twice more before the break, and it was lights out as the champs ran out 3-0 winners. As a neutral, it's a shame and it's probably a shame for Luis Enrique too. The three points are great, but he didn't learn too much about his team given the circumstances.

3. Álvarez isn't working as Atlético Madrid slip to fourth place with defeat at Real Betis: It's not all on him obviously (it wasn't his uncoordinated attempted clearance that led to the own goal) but in some ways, Julián Álvarez is the symbol of Atleti's current strife: a team caught between two identities who spends big in the summer and now can't commit to either. We can debate the Álvarez fee until the cows come home, but what's clear is that at Manchester City he had 10 other guys looking to get him the ball in dangerous areas (and succeeding) -- now, he doesn't. The basic plan of putting a gigantic Norwegian (Alexander Sorloth) next to him at half-time is also predictable and ineffective (one shot on target after the break) when the rest of the team doesn't execute.

2. Everton be warned! Friedkin circus continues in Roma after 5-1 defeat to Fiorentina: When you substitute uninjured players after half an hour, you're either Jose Mourinho looking for some motivational boost, or something is seriously wrong. It was the latter in Roma's case Sunday, and it did not prevent a resounding 5-1 defeat for Ivan Juric's team. Roma fans can be a difficult bunch, but it's safe to say their anger at the club and their owners, the Friedkins -- more than Juric and more than the players, though they're obviously on the hook too -- has never been higher. The vibe is that of absentee landlords who weigh in occasionally with rash decisions. It's not just the sacking of Mourinho and then, shortly after giving him a long term contract, Daniele De Rossi -- it's the way the whole front office has been a continual revolving door, with the Friedkins' horrendous communications only making things worse. (It's not that they never speak -- some owners don't like to -- but that nobody speaks on their behalf ... not credibly, anyway.) To their credit, they have poured a ton of their own money into the club, but their relationship with the city and the fanbase has deteriorated severely, and the fact they're on the verge of buying another club, Everton, isn't helping allay fears that Roma is going to be further neglected.

1. No bounce-back from Dortmund, and no surprise either: You know the old trope about falling down and getting back up? Well, Borussia Dortmund only sunk deeper after the debacle at the Bernabeu, throwing away an early lead against Augsburg and losing 2-1. More than the result, we saw another lame performance: Serhou Guirassy getting little service (though at least he makes the most of what he does get), the midfield going AWOL and the usual defensive frailty. Coach Nuri Sahin is on the hot seat.

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- The groin injury that Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love sustained in the win Sunday over the Jacksonville Jaguars is not expected to keep him sidelined long term, a source told ESPN.

Tests on Monday did not show any significant damage, and it is considered a strain. A source said his availability for Sunday's NFC North showdown against the Detroit Lions will be about how he feels and progresses throughout the week.

If the Packers (6-2) don't have Love on Sunday against the Lions (6-1), there's a good chance it will be the only game he misses because Green Bay has its bye the following week.

Malik Willis, who replaced Love on Sunday, would start against the Lions if Love is out.

The Packers on Monday were also awaiting word on cornerback Jaire Alexander, who was injured on their final defensive play of Sunday's win. A source said Alexander was scheduled to undergo an MRI on his knee. He appeared to be unable to put any weight on his right leg as he hopped off the field.

Love, who sustained his injury on the game's opening drive, finished the first half and after taking the first snap of the third quarter, limped to the sideline and did not return.

The Packers never ruled him out, but he spent the rest of the game on the sideline. Love, who threw his ninth interception of the season two series after the first sign of the groin injury, did not speak with reporters after the game.

The 2024-25 NBA season is in full swing.

We're less than a week into the regular season and we've seen some dominant performances from the reigning champion Boston Celtics, as well as from LeBron James in his 22nd season in the league.

The injury bug has already plagued a few teams -- most notably the LA Clippers, with Kawhi Leonard out indefinitely and the Philadelphia 76ers, with newly acquired superstar Paul George missing the start of the season.

A few teams have carried over their dominance from the previous season while others are showing signs of concern, already stumbling out of the gates.

Which superstar looks poised for an MVP campaign? Which early-season trend will continue to carry throughout the year? Our NBA Insiders break down the best and worst moments from the opening days of the regular season.

What has been the biggest surprise?

Michael Wright: The fast start by the Los Angeles Lakers. As the hub of the offense, Anthony Davis busted out of the gate to drop 35-plus points in each of his first two outings, and it's not like the Lakers beat up on bad teams to start their 2024-25 campaign. Los Angeles captured three home victories against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Phoenix Suns and Sacramento Kings to start the season. Davis has been phenomenal, leading the team in points, rebounds, steals and blocks, while LeBron has been typical LeBron, dropping 32 points against the Kings on Saturday and logging his first triple-double of the season. Rui Hachimura has been a pleasant surprise along with Austin Reaves, who appears to have improved. It's still early, but a nice start for the Lakers.

Tim MacMahon: Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr is vowing to stick with a 12-man rotation. A roster with that kind of depth is a good problem to have, but it's hard to imagine keeping a dozen players happy and in rhythm if the rotation continues to go that deep. It certainly worked well in the Warriors' first two games, which they won by a combined margin of 77 points, but consider they were against two rebuilding teams -- the Portland Trail Blazers and Utah Jazz. But now, with Stephen Curry dealing with a left ankle sprain, Kerr will have to reevaluate his lineups.

Dave McMenamin: It's hard to believe the Lakers' 3-0 start. After posting losing records to start the past few seasons, there was a layer of baked-in skepticism when projecting their season: could JJ Redick's influence take hold immediately? Would they be ready for stiff competition like Minnesota, Phoenix and Sacramento? How healthy would they be? So far, they've posted the fifth-best offensive rating in the league (120.1 points per 100 possessions), and Anthony Davis looks as dominant as he was in his New Orleans Pelicans days.

Chris Herring: Victor Wembanyama is the player most expected to make the biggest jump this season. But Chet Holmgren, who finished second in Rookie of the Year voting last season, looks terrifying so far. With almost 24 points, 13 rebounds, four blocks and three assists per night, he has been more physically imposing and determined about getting to certain spots off the dribble. And while he drained three triples Sunday, at just 3-for-15 for the season, he hasn't even gotten rolling from deep yet. It's everything the Thunder could ask for as they await Isaiah Hartenstein's return from injury.

Jamal Collier: It has been a rough start for the Indiana Pacers and Tyrese Haliburton. They both looked like a well-oiled machine last season but have started this season looking out of sorts. It's too early to worry about them or put too much stock into what ultimately was one bad game for Haliburton -- he did follow up his 0-for-8 performance against the New York Knicks with 22 points but only four assists against the 76ers -- but this start is not encouraging for a young team looking to build off some surprising success last season.

What's one question you want answered after the season's first few days?

MacMahon: How many games will Joel Embiid and George play together through the course of the season? The Sixers have been upfront about their intention to use extreme caution with both stars, even before George suffered a bone bruise in his left knee. The priority is for Embiid and George to be healthy for the playoffs, but at what cost? Will the Sixers sacrifice home-court advantage, potentially in the first round? And how much time do Embiid and George need on the floor together to develop the chemistry necessary for a deep playoff run?

Wright: When does Kawhi Leonard return to action? Leonard sat out the entire Clippers preseason and has yet to play or practice. The team announced in mid-October that Leonard will be sidelined indefinitely as he continues the rehabilitation process for inflammation in his right knee. Then, we saw the report about a former Clippers strength and conditioning coach filing a lawsuit, alleging he was fired for raising concerns about the management of Leonard's injuries. The situation around Leonard feels eerily similar to what transpired during his final season with the San Antonio Spurs, when we all learned the term "tendinopathy."

McMenamin: How's this all going to work for the 76ers? An 82-game season allows for early mistakes so long as you make a second-half surge, especially with the play-in avenue. But missing Embiid and George while dropping to 0-2 to start the season is not a good sign. Philly needs a bit more time before they are fully figured out.

Herring: How does New Orleans handle the loss of Dejounte Murray, who fractured his left hand in the season opener? Between Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, the Pelicans are used to injuries, but this one is particularly tough given that the team -- which is also without Trey Murphy III (hamstring) to start the season -- hasn't gotten a chance to see how this group meshes. This always seems to be the case, but at least CJ McCollum has plenty of experience leading this group. It's just less than ideal given that the addition of Murray was meant to push McCollum back to his natural shooting guard role.

Collier: Not seeing the Sixers' fully realized team take the floor together was, perhaps, the most disappointing part of opening week. But my biggest lingering question is around the health and future of Leonard. He's 33 years old and entering his 13th NBA season with an indefinite absence -- not an encouraging sign for the team and for fans hoping to see one of the best two-way players of his generation. The Clippers are entering a new era with the opening of their new home, the Intuit Dome, and after moving on from Paul George. But the latest injury for Leonard opens up the question of how much time he'll actually spend on the Clippers' newest court.

Which contender/superstar has stood out the most?

Collier: The Oklahoma City Thunder were already one of the favorites in the West entering the season and have looked every bit the part so far, starting with how they dismantled the Denver Nuggets 102-87 on opening night. The Thunder have picked up where they left off last season with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander looking even more un-guardable, Chet Holmgren ready to take a step forward as the No. 2 option and Alex Caruso sliding in as a perfect addition to the rotation, giving the Thunder a shot at finishing with the No. 1 defense in the league.

Wright: Jayson Tatum won an NBA championship and an Olympic gold medal over the summer, but given all the chatter about his sporadic play in France, it didn't seem like any of that mattered. Tatum mentioned that Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla was probably the "happiest person in the world" that he didn't win Finals MVP and sat out two games in the Olympics. Regardless, Tatum tweaked his shot mechanics before Celtics training camp and started the season hot, connecting on 60% from the floor over his first two games and 50% from deep.

McMenamin: The Cleveland Cavaliers won their first three games by a combined 61 points. Yes, the Toronto Raptors, Detroit Pistons and Washington Wizards don't figure to be postseason contenders, but Cleveland's offense, which is shooting 54.5%, suggest that the team has already grasped new coach Kenny Atkinson's offense.

Herring: The Nuggets, NBA champions just two seasons ago, have so far stood out in a bad way. Christian Braun has been solid in replacing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope as a starter, repeatedly bottling up James Harden on Saturday while logging an efficient 13.5 points per game through his first two contests. But the team overall has struggled from distance, hitting just 28.8% of its 3s for the NBA's sixth-worst mark so far. No one, apart from stars Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, has shot well from there on true volume at this point. Russell Westbrook, the team's biggest offseason addition, has shot just 2-for-18, and the Nuggets have been outscored by 37 points in his 40 minutes off the bench.

MacMahon: Oklahoma City was widely considered the West's favorite entering the season and looked the part in their two opening games with double-digit wins over the Nuggets and Chicago Bulls. It will be a month or so before the Thunder can work free agent addition Isaiah Hartenstein into the mix, and it will be interesting to see how often reigning Coach of the Year Mark Daigneault plays the former Knicks center alongside fellow 7-footer Holmgren. The Thunder targeted Hartenstein in part to address their rebounding problems, but Holmgren appears primed to make drastic improvement in that category. He averaged 15 rebounds in OKC's first two games while matching up against Jokic and Nikola Vucevic.

My bold prediction after one week is___?

Wright: The Nuggets will underachieve this season. Murray clearly isn't 100% healthy, and we're about to see just how big of an impact Caldwell-Pope's absence will have on both ends of the floor for Denver. Jokic & Co. faced a buzzsaw to start the season against the Thunder, but coach Michael Malone was correct in mentioning that "Christian Braun is not going to be KCB" as the starter opposite Murray in the backcourt. Maybe Malone was also correct when saying, "I don't think there's any need for panic." We'll just have to wait and see.

McMenamin: The Clippers will stay relevant despite their injuries. Not saying they will certainly make the playoffs, or even the play-in, but this group won't bottom out. They played the Suns into overtime on opening night at Intuit and then beat the Nuggets on the road with a 37-point performance from Norman Powell. Coach Ty Lue has early buy-in from the group, which currently has the fourth-best defensive rating in the NBA, allowing only 104.8 points per 100 possessions.

Collier: Two teams will win more than 60 games. Both Boston and Oklahoma City were favorites entering the season in their respective conferences, and they've validated that notion fairly quickly to start the season. They both look like juggernauts in their own way ready to stack winning streaks, and in the age of parity, it has been a while since the league has had a dominant powerhouse atop each conference.

MacMahon: The Rookie of the Year won't be a lottery pick. Two early candidates: New Orleans' Yves Missi and Phoenix's Ryan Dunn. Missi, the No. 21 pick, led all rookies in scoring (10.0 points per game), rebounding (6.5) and blocks (2.5) entering Sunday and should get consistent minutes, considering the lack of centers on the Pelicans' roster. Dunn, the No. 28 pick, profiles as a potentially elite defensive player who raised a lot of eyebrows by making more 3s in the preseason (13-of-30) than he did in his two seasons at Virginia (12-of-51). That has carried over into the regular season, as Dunn is shooting 46.2% (6-of-13) from long range. He impressed Suns coaches and teammates with his poise and toughness as a starter in Saturday's win against Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks.

Herring: The Orlando Magic, who made the fewest 3s in the league last season, will end up being one of the most proficient teams from distance. The Magic are off to a fantastic start, having knocked home 50 triples through three games, with a conversion rate bordering on 40%, leaving them right around the NBA's top five in both categories to this point. And considering that Caldwell-Pope -- their top offseason pickup -- is struggling makes it even more impressive. Paolo Banchero showed a vast improvement from Year 1 to Year 2 and has been shooting well so far.

Trend most/least likely to continue is ___?

Wright: International players will continue to dominate the MVP conversation. Players such as Doncic, SGA and Jokic figure to battle among the top five all season long. But we can't forget Giannis Antetokounmpo, Embiid and even Domantas Sabonis, who averaged nearly a triple-double last season. We haven't seen an American-born player take home the MVP trophy since James Harden in 2018, which marked an 11-year run of American-born players winning the coveted award.

Herring: Boston's 3-point frenzy. Just in case you weren't convinced during the season opener -- when Boston drilled an NBA-record-tying 29 3s against the New York Knicks -- the Celtics are going to take, and make, a boatload of triples every night. They averaged 52.6 3-point attempts during the preseason and are currently launching more than 50 per night, all reasons it's safe to assume that pace will continue throughout the season.

MacMahon: The defending champions will keep their foot on the gas. The Celtics are in a unique, enviable situation. They have a pair of young superstars in Jaylen Brown and Tatum who are early in their prime and come into the season with a bunch of fresh motivational fodder -- thanks to Team USA roster and rotation decisions -- despite the fact that they are fresh off winning their first title and have signed the richest contracts in NBA history over the past two summers. There will be no championship hangover in Boston.

McMenamin: The Buddy Hield/Klay Thompson comparison will remain a coin flip. There is no understating the tremendous strife the Warriors went through when Thompson left. He is one of the most important people ever to don a Warriors uniform. But Hield's production at two years, $21 million will continue to mirror Thompson's for Dallas on his three-year, $50 million deal. Through two games, Hield leads the league with 6.0 3-pointers per game, with Thompson close behind (5.5)

Collier: The Cavs are for real. Cleveland has started the season unbeaten after finishing in the top four in the East the past two seasons. They made a coaching change in the offseason that has them playing a different style of offense with Evan Mobley taking on more responsibilities. Unlocking Mobley will be critical for Cleveland's long-term potential. And with the other teams projected behind Boston off to slow starts or struggling with injuries (Milwaukee, Philly and New York), the Cavs could put themselves in an ideal position for the rest of the season and beyond.

With Englands players - Henry Slade apart - locked into autumn preparations, this weekend's Premiership action gave space for others to press their Test case to Steve Borthwick.

And it was the back row players that were front and centre.

There was pain for one young gun as 21-year-old Guy Pepper - a stand-out with struggling Newcastle last season, whose form has continued to run hot at Bath -limped out of the win over Sale, while Henry Pollock, just 19, was busy for Northampton, racking up more metres, carries and tackles than any other Saints forward in defeat by Bristol.

It was those further up the age range though that really caught the eye.

Tom Pearson combined rock-solid shoulders with feather-soft hands, superbly laying on tries for Josh Kemeny and George Hendy in the opening 20 minutes against Bristol, while Fitz Harding, fresh off a hat-trick last week, was a key part of the Bears' fearsome comeback.

Jack Kenningham and Will Evans, who top the league's turnover stats with 11 and nine respectively, continued their Hooper-Pocock tribute act in Harlequins' win over Exeter, while Newcastle's Callum Chick raged against defeat at Gloucester.

However, Ted Hill and Tom Willis - the most obvious omissions from England's initial squad last week - made the most obvious claims.

Bath's Hill mixed glorious galloping breaks with an unstinting dedication to the grunt work, while Willis punched a 96m-deep black hole in Leicester's defence in a display reminiscent of his Saracens' number eight predecessor Billy Vunipola.

Hill was called up to England's squad on Sunday evening as cover for the injured Ollie Chessum. Willis, meanwhile, still waits.

The Toronto Maple Leafs signed defenseman Jake McCabe to a five-year extension with an average annual value of $4.51 million, the team announced Monday.

McCabe was in the final year of a four-year contract he originally signed with the Chicago Blackhawks, who traded him to Toronto in February 2023.

McCabe, 31, was a second-round pick of the Buffalo Sabres in the 2012 NHL draft.

He has three assists in nine games this season and career totals of 33 goals and 122 assists (155 points) in 586 games with the Sabres (2013-21), Chicago (2021-23) and Toronto.

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Florida Panthers coach Paul Maurice said captain Aleksander Barkov will return to the lineup to play against the Buffalo Sabres on Monday night after missing eight games with a lower body injury.

His return was anticipated and comes a game before Panthers travel to Barkov's hometown of Tampere, Finland. They'll face the Dallas Stars on Friday and Saturday as part of the NHL's Global Series.

The two-time Frank J. Selke winner as the NHL's top defensive forward, Barkov was hurt after he crashed into the end boards attempting to prevent Tim Stutzle from scoring an empty-net goal in a 3-1 loss at Ottawa on Oct. 10. He resumed skating a week after getting hurt. Maurice said the team didn't want to rush him back to action for precautionary reasons.

The defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers went 5-2-1 without Barkov and lead the Atlantic Division with a 6-3-1 record.

TAMPA - Every time Steven Stamkos has stepped on the ice in Tampa, it's been as a member of the Lightning. That was true when he was an 18-year-old rookie in 2008 through back-to-back Stanley Cup championships through last season, when he scored 40 goals as the team's 34-year-old captain.

On Monday night, Stamkos will step on that ice again as a member of the Nashville Predators. After a contentious and public contract negotiation with the Lightning failed to produce a new deal, Stamkos signed a four-year free-agent contract with Nashville last summer, setting up what should be an emotionally charged night for the teams, Lightning fans and a star forward who's still processing this bitter split.

"I mean, it takes time," said Stamkos at Amalie Arena on Monday morning. "Certainly it's been an adjustment period, not only for me but for my family, for your friends, everything. This is all I had known my whole life as a professional athlete, so it's certainly difficult in terms of that."\

Stamkos played 1,082 games for the Tampa Bay Lightning, who drafted him first overall in 2008. He scored 555 goals with the team, helping to grow a "non-traditional" NHL market into one of the most successful ones in the league in terms of on-ice success and fan engagement. In the process, he became the third-highest active goal scorer in the league behind Alex Ovechkin (855) and Sidney Crosby (593).

"Let's be honest: Steven Stamkos and the Tampa Bay Lightning are going to be synonymous with each other until the end of time. He came here as an 18-year-old, with the weight of his everything on his shoulders, and in the end he delivered. He did everything we asked of him for many, many years." said Lightning coach Jon Cooper, who joined the team in 2013.

"Breakups are hard. It's the soap opera of sports," said Cooper. "It's why we watch it - for moments like this, to see how the drama of life is going to unfold. I think everybody should enjoy today. I think it'll be an emotional night, more so probably for [Stamkos] than anybody else."

Stamkos traveled to Tampa over the weekend with his wife, Sandra, while their two sons remained back in Nashville for school. She stayed at the home of Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman, with whom Stamkos spent time with on Sunday before having dinner with a group of ex-Lightning teammates on Sunday night.

"I know it's going to be a rollercoaster of emotions for him. [Stamkos] is going to get the reception that he deserves and I'm sure everyone is excited to see him," said Hedman on Monday. "One thing that I've learned about him is his resiliency. I'm sure he is going to have a great game tonight. Hopefully not too good."

Stamkos said one of the surprising things about leaving Tampa for Nashville was how his family has processed it, while he's struggled to find his footing with one goal in eight games for the Predators.

"I probably thought that the family transition was going to be more difficult than the hockey one, and it's kind of been the opposite. But I'd rather have it that way where my wife and kids are making the transition and then I can figure it out myself," he said.

Monday night's game will be an emotional night for all involved. That includes Lightning winger Jake Guentzel, who signed a seven-year, $63-million free-agent contract after the team decided to part ways with Stamkos. He's taken the former captain's spot on the team's top line with Brayden Point and Nikita Kucherov.

Cooper said he hadn't spoken with Guentzel about the emotions surrounding Stamkos's return.

"I think the one thing that I try to impart to him and everybody else is that is he's not replacing Stamkos, because Stamkos created his own legacy here and Guentzel's got seven years to create his own legacy," said Cooper. "We weren't looking necessarily for a right-handed shooter on the power play. We got a playmaking lefty winger that brings different attributes to the game. So yeah, the next seven years are Jake Guentzel nights. Tonight's is Steven Samkos night."

Stamkos said he's not sure how he'll handle the fans making this a special night and whatever tribute the team's created for him.

"I'm not usually a very emotional guy, in terms of letting people see the emotions. I don't know how it's going to be until that moment comes," he said. "It's the best feelings in your life, the worst feelings in your life. You don't know how you're going to react until you go through it."

Former Italy forward Mario Balotelli has joined Serie A strugglers Genoa as a free agent, it has been announced.

Balotelli, 34, underwent a medical on Monday before signing a contract with Genoa for the remainder of the season.

"I am pumped. I don't want to talk much. I just want to get started," Balotelli said earlier on Monday.

"I'll give it my all," he added, addressing the fans.

The former Manchester City player had been without a club since leaving Turkish outfit Adana Demirspor in June.

Balotelli is pic.twitter.com/vnJDtss2c9

Genoa CFC (@GenoaCFC) October 28, 2024

He last featured in Italy's top flight in the 2019-20 with Brescia, although he did play in Italy for Serie B Monza in the 2020-21 campaign.

Genoa have turned to Balotelli as they are beset by injuries. Alberto Gilardino's side have seven players unavailable, including forwards Vitinha, Junior Messias and Caleb Ekuban.

"Balotelli? His story speaks for him, but he cannot solve Genoa's problems alone," Gilardino said after Sunday's 3-0 defeat at Lazio left the club in 18th place in Serie A.

"It's normal that if he arrives with fire to be available to the team he can be of value for his technical quality, he can give us personality. But he will arrive after a period of inactivity. But we trust he can quickly be at the top of his game."

Balotelli, who scored seven goals in 16 league appearances last season, had been training alone in Brescia while evaluating offers.

Genoa have won one and lost five of their nine league games this season heading into Thursday's home game against Fiorentina.

They have one of the worst attacks in the competition with only seven goals scored.

A three-time scudetto winner with Inter Milan, Balotelli has occasionally made more headlines off the pitch than on it in his career.

He won 36 caps for Italy but last played for the Azzurri in 2018, although he took part in the national team training camp in January 2022.

Genoa is Balotelli's 11th club in his career. In addition to Manchester, some of his other clubs include Inter Milan, AC Milan, Brescia, Monza, Liverpool and Marseille.

Information from Reuters contributed to this report.

Brentford manager Thomas Frank is among the candidates Manchester United are considering to replace Erik ten Hag, a source has told ESPN.

Ten Hag was sacked by United on Monday after a run of four wins from 13 games in all competitions this season.

Frank was one of the names in the frame to replace Ten Hag in the summer before the club decided to keep faith with the Dutchman.

A source has told ESPN that Frank is again high up on United's list of targets, although he is under contract at Brentford until 2027 having joined in 201. Agreeing to a deal that would allow the 51-year-old to leave the club is considered a major stumbling block.

He has previously played down talk of leaving Gtech Community Stadium, but a source has told ESPN that United are set to enquire about his availability as they search for their next permanent manager.

United declined to comment when approached by ESPN.

Asked about his future at a news conference on Monday, Frank said: "I've said many, many times I'm very happy here. What happens in the future, who knows? I'm very, very happy here."

Ruud van Nistelrooy has been handed the job on a caretaker basis following Ten Hag's dismissal and is set to be in charge for the Carabao Cup tie against Leicester City at Old Trafford on Wednesday.

Other potential candidates for the permanent job include Gareth Southgate.

Southgate has indicated he will not coach again until next summer after leaving his role with England following defeat in the Euro 2024 final.

However, he has a longstanding relationship with Ineos director of sport and United board member Sir Dave Brailsford and worked at the Football Association with sporting director Dan Ashworth.

Ashworth also worked with Graham Potter during their time together at Brighton. Potter has been out of work since his sacking by Chelsea in April 2023.

A source has told ESPN that Potter would be of interest to Brentford if they lose Frank.

Sources on both sides have downplayed speculation that United are interested in former Barcelona manager Xavi.

Another potential candidate, Sporting Lisbon boss Rúben Amorim, dismissed links with the United job at a news conference on Monday.

"I was already expecting this question and obviously I'm not going to talk about the future, because otherwise I'll always have to comment," he said.

"I'm very proud to be Sporting coach, that's all."

A source has told ESPN that the United squad did not train on Monday after being informed of Ten Hag's departure.

The players are set to train with Van Nistelrooy and assistant Rene Hake at Carrington on Tuesday before facing Leicester on Wednesday. United's next Premier League game is against Chelsea at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Golfer Tom Kim apologized Monday for damaging a locker door following his playoff loss to Byeong Hun An in the DP World Tour's Genesis Championship in his native South Korea.

In a statement posted to his Instagram account, Kim said that he didn't intend to damage the door Sunday and that he offered to pay for its repair. Kim said he apologized to the DP World Tour and the Korean PGA Tour, which co-sanctioned the tournament held at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea in Incheon.

"After the loss I was frustrated, yes, absolutely," Kim said in the statement. "[B]ut I can assure you with absolute truth that I had no intent of damaging any part of the locker, not a single bit."

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A post shared by Tom Kim 김주형 (@joohyungkim0621)

An, who also hails from South Korea, made an 8-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole to tie Kim, who had an 8-footer lip out that would have won him the tournament.

In the playoff, Kim hit his third shot into a grandstand on the par-5 18th and made bogey. An made another birdie to pick up his second DP World Tour victory.

"I addressed it with the [DP World Tour] and the KPGA right after the incident saying that the door came off," Kim said. "We had to fully pull it out due to safety reasons. I also let them know that I was willing to pay all expenses for the damage."

Kim said the matter was "closed" after he spoke with the tours and offered to pay to repair the door. He didn't believe he would be sanctioned by either circuit.

"I am grateful to everyone that's reached out with messages of support, but to them and everyone else that I may have let down, I apologize with all my heart," Kim wrote.

It's the second time in less than a month that Kim has apologized for his actions at a tournament. At last month's Presidents Cup in Montreal, he apologized to U.S. team captain Jim Furyk and two-time major winner Xander Schauffele for telling reporters that unidentified members of the U.S. team were cursing at him and partner Si Woo Kim during a foursomes match.

Kim sought out Furyk and Schauffele after his Sunday singles match. The Americans defeated the International team 18-11.

"Yeah, it was just about my comments," Kim said at the time. "I just told him like, 'Hey, I didn't mean it to go in such a negative way.' If it did, I just said I'm sorry. It was just I felt like what I heard yesterday, some comments that I've heard was at that time, just coming off the green, it came to me so personally and just I felt like it was right to share."