NEW YORK -- The New York Knicks got obliterated Tuesday in their season opener, done in by a deluge of Boston Celtics triples. An NBA record-tying 29 of them, to be exact.

That taste was still in the Knicks' mouths when they took the floor for their home opener Friday night, and the club used it as fuel to drill the Indiana Pacers 123-98 in Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges's home debut at Madison Square Garden.

"Whenever you get your butt kicked on national TV in the NBA, it means you have to step it up," said wing Josh Hart, one of four New York starters to finish with 20 or more points against Indiana. Bridges and Towns had 21 apiece, while floor general Jalen Brunson finished with a game-high 26.

"I loved the way our guys responded," Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. "The fight we showed was a lot greater."

The result was a satisfying one for the Knicks, who, aside from moving past the embarrassing loss to Boston, were also seeking revenge for last season's Game 7 loss to the Pacers (1-1) at the Garden in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

The reversal from the Knicks' season-opening loss was most apparent on the defensive end. In Boston, the Knicks struggled mightily to defend the perimeter. On Friday, New York held the Pacers -- the league's second-best offense last season -- to 3-of-30 from the arc.

In particular, the Knicks' wings were aggressive with Indiana star Tyrese Haliburton, holding him scoreless on eight shots.

"I just was bad, bro. It happens," Haliburton said.

Bridges started the game on Haliburton defensively before giving way to Hart and OG Anunoby for a handful of possessions at a time. The Knicks (1-1) got out in transition a number of times following Pacers turnovers, scoring 29 points off Indiana's 14 miscues during the contest.

The Garden crowd was lively from the jump, lighting up to support Towns -- a local product from suburban New Jersey -- and Bridges for their first meaningful action on the home floor. The game was more or less over midway through the third, when New York pulled ahead by 30 points. But fans were still rowdy by then because of the not only Knicks but also the New York Yankees, who were playing in Game 1 of the World Series.

A massive "Let's Go Yankees!" chant broke out in the fourth quarter after Giancarlo Stanton hit a two-run homer to put the Yanks up 2-1, and then the chant was repeated once Stanton's shot was shown on the arena's video screen. Towns was among the fans doing so, and started waving his towel wildly as he watched the play unfold.

"Oh, I was looking up [at the jumbotron] for sure," said Towns, a Yankees fan who watched the game -- which was ended by the Los Angeles Dodgers' Freddie Freeman with a walk-off grand slam -- intently in the locker room as he was doing his postgame interview.

LOS ANGELES -- Freddie Freeman lifted his bat to the sky and watched the ball fly.

The Los Angeles Dodgers' hobbled first baseman, who has spent all month playing through a badly sprained right ankle, came up with the bases loaded, his team trailing by a run with two outs in the bottom of the 10th, and delivered a walk-off grand slam, electrifying a sold-out Dodger Stadium and sending his team to an improbable 6-3 victory over the New York Yankees in Game 1 of the World Series on Friday night.

It marked the third walk-off homer in the World Series in franchise history, along with those by Max Muncy (Game 3 in 2018) and Kirk Gibson (Game 1 in 1988).

"It felt like nothing, just kind of floating," Freeman said when asked what it felt like while rounding the bases. "Those are the kind of things, when you're 5 years old with your two older brothers and you're playing whiffle ball in the backyard, those are the scenarios you dream about -- two outs, bases loaded in a World Series game. For it to actually happen and get a home run and walk it off to give us a 1-0 lead, that's as good as it gets right there."

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts added: "I cannot believe what just happened. That's what makes the Fall Classic a classic, right, because the stars come out and superstars make big plays, get big hits, in the biggest of moments. ... I'm speechless right now."

The Yankees had taken the lead in the previous half-inning when Jazz Chisholm Jr., 5-for-34 through his first nine postseason games, lined a one-out single to the right side off Blake Treinen, then stole second base and easily swiped third and came around to score on a groundout.

But the Dodgers threatened once again in the bottom half, putting runners on first and second with one out and Shohei Ohtani coming to bat. Veteran left-hander Nestor Cortes, who hadn't pitched since Sept. 18 because of a flexor strain, came out of the bullpen to face him.

Ohtani lofted the first pitch into left-field foul territory, prompting a spectacular lunging catch by Alex Verdugo. Both runners moved up a base because Verdugo fell over the fence. The Yankees then opted to intentionally walk Mookie Betts, loading the bases and setting up the lefty-lefty matchup with Freeman.

It didn't work. The first pitch from Cortes was a 93 mph fastball on the inside corner. Freeman turned on it and sent it 423 feet to right field -- a no-doubter that gave the Dodgers the thrilling victory.

"I've been playing this game a long time, and to come up in those moments, you dream about those moments even when you're 35 and been in the league for 15 years, you want to be a part of those," Freeman said. "It's the kind of energy the crowd brought tonight -- Game 1 of the World Series. Everyone's been talking about this all week. For us to get that first win, especially like that, that's pretty good, but we've got three more to go."

The Yankees and Dodgers -- two of Major League Baseball's most storied franchises, residing in its two biggest markets and boasting the best records in each league this season -- are meeting in the World Series for the 12th time, tied with the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics for the most common final-round matchup in all the major sports. As if this matchup couldn't be any more high-profile, it also features Aaron Judge and Ohtani, the two transcendent stars who will each be named regular-season MVP.

But another star shined in Game 1.

SAN ANTONIO, Texas -- Kansas City Current forward Temwa Chawinga scored twice in the first half on Friday at Toyota Field to lift her team past NJ/NY Gotham FC, 2-0 in the final of the inaugural NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup. The trophy is Kansas City's first since it began play in 2021.

The brace was Chawinga's fourth in all competitions this year. She recently broke the National Women's Soccer League's single-season scoring record. She has scored 20 goals in 25 games, with one game left in the season.

She opened the scoring on Friday in the 25th minute when she got in behind Gotham's defense and chipped a shot over goalkeeper Cassie Miller.

Twelve minutes later, Chawinga struck again on another sequence that started with midfielders Claire Hutton and Lo'eau LaBonta. Replays showed that Chawinga looked offside on the second goal, but video review was not utilized for the Summer Cup.

The Summer Cup was held primarily during the summer Olympic break for the NWSL and featured all 14 teams from the U.S. top flight competing with six teams from Mexico's first division. Gotham FC and Kansas City won their respective groups before winning the semifinals in August. All four semifinalists were from the NWSL.

Gotham FC and Kansas City are third and fourth in the NWSL regular-season standings and are separated by only one point heading into the final round of play. Kansas City started most of its usual starting lineup on Friday, including Chawinga, who was subbed off at halftime.

Gotham's roster was stretched thin by injuries and personal commitments, as well as international absences during the FIFA window. Gotham signed seven national team replacement players ahead of the match just to fill out a full gameday roster. Among them was Mana Shim, who was part of the team's NWSL Championship run last year, and 14-year-old McKenna "Mak" Whitham.

Gotham held over 60% of possession throughout the match but failed to put a single shot on target.

Nevada became the latest team to call off a women's volleyball match against San Jose State, citing not enough players.

The Wolf Pack were originally scheduled to host San Jose State this weekend, but Nevada players announced they would refuse to take the court, saying they "refuse to participate in any match that advances injustice against female athletes," without providing further details.

Nevada's athletic department had said the program wouldn't back out from the match, referencing state equality laws, but also said that no players will be disciplined if they do not participate.

The game was switched to San Jose "in the interest of both programs," the teams said in a joint statement -- with no further explanation -- before Nevada elected to forfeit.

So far this season, Southern Utah, Boise State, Wyoming, Utah State and now Nevada have canceled games against the Spartans. Given that Boise State, Wyoming, Utah State and Nevada are members of the Mountain West Conference, those contests are considered forfeits and count as valuable wins in the league standings for San Jose State.

Republican governors of Idaho, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming have made public statements in support of the cancellations, citing a need for fairness in women's sports. Former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee in this year's presidential race, this week referenced an unidentified volleyball match when he was asked during a Fox News town hall about transgender athletes in women's sports. Neither San Jose State nor the forfeiting teams have confirmed the school has a trans women's volleyball player.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

CLEVELAND -- J.B. Bickerstaff was prepared for whatever Cleveland fans had in store for him.

He knows them as well as anyone.

Often criticized for his rotations, in-game strategies and blamed for playoff losses during four-plus seasons coaching the Cavaliers, Detroit's first-year coach wasn't sure what type of reaction he'd get in his first game back.

"Who knows?" Bickerstaff said with a smile. "My time here, I got a mixed reception. I might get booed. I might get cheered. Who knows?"

Fired following last season despite rebuilding the Cavs and leading them to the Eastern Conference semifinals, Bickerstaff returned to Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Friday night as the Pistons played their first road game of the season.

Bickerstaff inherited a team that won just 14 games last season. The Pistons hung with the Cavaliers before fading in the fourth quarter in a 113-101 loss. Cade Cunningham scored 33 points but matched a career high with nine turnovers as Detroit fell to 0-2.

"We're seeing what he's capable of and how he can carry a team," Bickerstaff said of Cunningham. "But we did talk to him about the turnovers."

Bickerstaff hasn't had much time with his new team, but Kenny Atkinson, who replaced him in Cleveland, was impressed by the first look at the Pistons this season.

"They're a better team," Atkinson said.

Bickerstaff, who went 170-159 with the Cavs and twice took them to the playoffs, said it was strange riding a bus to the arena instead of driving from his home on Cleveland's west side.

He joked that he wasn't overwhelmed by nostalgia when he walked back into a building he knows so well.

"Absolutely nothing," he said when asked what crossed his mind in his first moments back. "I didn't recognize these [remodeled] halls back here trying to figure out where to go, but that's it. I know there is a deal to be made about it.

"But honestly, all we're trying to do is get together what we have, get better every day and spend your focus there."

That was Bickerstaff's mantra during his stay in Cleveland. And while he had his challenges, he took over a young team and made it better in leading the Cavs' rebuild in the wake of LeBron James' departure in 2018.

Bickerstaff got the mixed reaction he anticipated during pregame introductions.

The team saluted him again with a tribute during a timeout in the first quarter, and Bickerstaff stood emotionless near half court with his hands in his pockets.

It's understandable if Bickerstaff wasn't feeling warm and fuzzy.

After all, he was the one who pulled the Cavs out of a messy situation when coach John Beilein stepped away midway through the 2019-20 season. He also took Cleveland to the playoffs in consecutive seasons.

Last year, the Cavs were saddled with injuries all season but advanced past Orlando in the first round of the playoffs before losing to the eventual champion Boston Celtics in the conference semis, playing the final two games without All-Star Donovan Mitchell.

That wasn't enough to save his job as the Cavs made a coaching switch a week after the season.

The run was fulfilling, even if it ended sooner than he wanted.

"We did a hell of a job here from where we started when our staff took over to where we finished," he said. "In any kind of rebuild situation, if you could ask for that to happen, every GM in this league, every owner in this league, every player in this league would sign up for it.

"We got better every year. Every year we went further, so we did the job we were asked to do and I'm proud of that."

PORTLAND, Ore. -- New Orleans forward Zion Williamson was in the lineup Friday night against the Portland Trail Blazers after missing the Pelicans' opener.

Williamson, who averaged 22.9 points last season, was scratched from the team's game Wednesday night against the Chicago Bulls because of an unspecified illness.

"It's huge to get Z back," Pelicans coach Willie Green said before facing the Blazers. "He's excited. Our group is excited to get on the floor tonight and get after it."

Green said Williamson is on a minutes restriction.

"It won't be full throttle, but we'll see how he feels once he gets on the floor," Green said.

The 6-foot-6 Williamson, the first overall selection out of Duke in the 2019 NBA draft, played in a career-high 70 games last season. Because of injuries, he has missed 207 career games.

LOS ANGELES -- MLBPA executive director Tony Clark expressed concerns Friday about how pitchers are being used in today's game, putting the onus on teams to keep them healthy.

"The conversations that we've had with our players have suggested that unless or until you draw a line in the sand and force change, that the decision-makers on any one particular team are going to continue to make the decisions that they're making, which is have pitchers' -- starting and relievers -- max effort for the period of time that they can have them," Clark said on the field at Dodger Stadium before Game 1 of the World Series.

"As soon as they seem to run out of gas, as the data suggests that they're going to, recycle them out and to burn out another pitcher."

With the reduced prominence of starting pitchers and the increase in pitching injuries, the issue is a concern for the league as well. MLB has been studying the issue all season and hopes to implement the results of its findings to help reduce the number of injuries.

Clark says he believes teams need to have a role in it as well.

"Players are doing what it is they are being told they should do." Clark said. "If players were told, as they were the first 150 years the league was in existence, that the value was a quality start and pitching six innings or pitching deep in the game ... then that's what players are going to do. Clubs are telling players that that's not the value proposition anymore, and thus players are doing what it is that's being requested of them."

More refined training habits have helped increase fastball velocity over the past decade, leading to higher strikeout totals and more injuries. Tommy John surgery has become more common for pitchers, with some having the procedure multiple times. The league has even flirted with incentive-laden ways to address the issue, but Clark says he believes teams are going to do what it takes to win -- hence, urging maximum effort over efficiency.

"Developing starting pitching, having strong starting pitching -- that historically has been the value proposition for 150 years -- has been changed," he said. "So that's until the decision-makers determine that blowing out pitchers day in and day out as a result of how they're using them or what they're requiring of them is no longer the best way to treat their players, we'll see a change absent."

Clark also expressed satisfaction that the A's stadium in Sacramento will have a grass field to reduce the risk of injury during the hot summer months.

Meanwhile, the MLBPA is in wait-and-see mode regarding the damage to Tropicana Field because of Hurricane Milton. If the Rays can't play there in 2025, Clark says he wants to make sure the team is in a safe environment at a spring or minor league facility.

"I think it starts with the playing surface and the safety of the ballpark itself," Clark said. "Ensuring that you can get the work done that you need to get done and that the surface is reflective and the ballpark is reflective of major league standards."

It has not been determined if Tropicana Field will be playable next season.

The San Jose Earthquakes are in advanced discussions with former LA Galaxy and United States men's national team coach Bruce Arena to make him the team's next head coach, sources told ESPN.

Arena, 73, has long operated as both head coach and general manager in his previous MLS stops, but it is unclear if his potential role with San Jose would involve similar responsibilities, and what this might mean for current GM Chris Leitch.

Arena was first linked with the San Jose job last month, as was another former USMNT coach, Gregg Berhalter, as well as former Portland Timbers boss Gio Savarese and Robin Fraser, the former coach of the Colorado Rapids. Berhalter has since been hired by the Chicago Fire.

The Earthquakes declined to comment.

Arena has been out of work since he resigned as head coach and sporting director of the New England Revolution in September 2023.

His resignation came after he was placed on administrative leave and later investigated by MLS for making "insensitive and inappropriate remarks." At the time of his resignation, Arena acknowledged he "made some mistakes" but didn't elaborate further.

MLS announced that "certain" allegations were confirmed and that Arena would have to petition MLS commissioner Don Garber if he wanted to work in the league again. Arena eventually met those conditions, and was declared eligible to resume working in MLS in December 2023.

Appearing on CBS Sports Golazo Network's "Kickin' it" in June, Arena said he took responsibility for his actions but also said he had to be "reserved" in what he could say about why he resigned. He called what he went through "hurtful."

Though no deal has yet been reached, if completed, Arena would take over a San Jose side that is a long away from its heyday in the early 2000s, when it won two MLS Cups and a Supporters' Shield, and is now in need of a complete rebuild.

The Quakes just finished the 2024 MLS regular season dead last in the entire league, with 21 points from 34 games, and a record of 6-25-3. The second-worst point total was Chicago's 30. San Jose also set a dubious MLS record by conceding an all-time high 78 goals.

The Quakes started the season with Luchi Gonzalez as head coach, but he was dismissed in late June, with assistant coach Ian Russell leading the team on an interim basis for the rest of the year.

Arena has proven himself adept at rebuilding jobs, having resurrected the LA Galaxy when he took over in 2008 and doing the same with New England starting in 2021.

Arena's on-field success in MLS is unmatched. He is the winningest coach in MLS history with 262 regular season victories, and has won 12 trophies.

With D.C. United he won two MLS Cups, a Supporters' Shield, a U.S. Open Cup, the 1998 Concacaf Champions Cup and the Interamerican Cup. Later, with the Galaxy, Arena won three MLS Cups and two Supporters' Shields. He won his last title with the Revs in 2021. He also managed the New York Red Bulls.

Arena has enjoyed similar highs at international level, but also experienced some crushing lows.

He led the USMNT to the quarterfinals of the 2002 World Cup, including a round-of-16 triumph over bitter rival Mexico. During two spells in charge, he guided the USMNT to three Gold Cup crowns in 2002, 2005 and 2017.

But he was also in charge when the USMNT failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, thanks in part to a shocking 2-1 defeat to Trinidad and Tobago on the final day of qualifying. He resigned days after that defeat.

ATLANTA -- The Charlotte Hornets will be without guard Brandon Miller, one of the team's top players, for at least a week because of a strained left glute.

After sustaining the injury, Miller sat out the second half of the Hornets' 110-105 victory at Houston to open the season. The Hornets said Friday night before their game at Atlanta that Miller would be evaluated in a week, meaning the high-scoring guard was expected to sit out at least three games.

The Hornets also were without starting center Mark Williams, who has a strained tendon in his left foot, against the Hawks. Missing two starters in only the second game of the season was a painful reminder of injury woes that have persisted the past two seasons, helping to extend the team's playoff drought to eight years.

The team's top player, point guard LaMelo Ball, has played only 58 of 164 games the past two seasons because of ankle injuries. Ball scored 34 points against Houston in his first game since January.

Miller, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 draft, averaged 17.3 points and 4.3 rebounds as a rookie.

Hornets first-year coach Charles Lee said "a total team effort" would be needed to fill the void left by Miller's injury. "He brings a lot on both sides of the floor."