Jiwon Lee showcased her return to form with an impressive eagle-aided 68, taking an early one-stroke lead over Daniella Uy in the ICTSI Bacolod Golf Challenge here on Tuesday, Oct. 15.

La Salle star Mike Phillips gave University of the East big man Precious Momowei a thumbs up after their memorable matchup recently in the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball tournament.

Former three-division champion John Riel Casimero has been suspended by the Japan Boxing Commission (JBC) for one year after failing to make the 122-pound super bantamweight limit in his ten-round bout against Saul Sanchez this past weekend.

Albin Engino and South Korea's Hyun Ho Rho stunned the field with impressive 65s despite contrasting approaches to secure joint leadership in the rain-disrupted opening round of the ICTSI Bacolod Golf Challenge at the Bacolod Golf and Country Club here on Tuesday, Oct. 15.

BACOLOD, Philippines – Jiwon Lee showcased her return to form with an impressive eagle-aided 68, taking an early one-stroke lead over Daniella Uy in the ICTSI Bacolod Golf Challenge on Tuesday. After a couple of setbacks following back-to-back victories, Lee settled into a familiar position atop the leaderboard, though not without some turbulence along the way. Starting her round on the more challenging backside of the par-70 Bacolod Golf and Country Club, the 16-year-old fired a birdie on the 12th hole and followed it up with a stunning eagle on No. 14. "I hit a great drive, then holed it from 105 yards out," Lee said of her eagle. "I thought it would be close, but my caddie told me it went in." However, the momentum was short-lived as she misfired on the next hole, sending her second shot out-of-bounds, resulting in a double bogey. Despite this setback, Lee regained her composure, adding another birdie on the 16th to finish with a pair of 34s. "I thought everything was going to be fine after the eagle," said Lee. "But I learned to stay patient and not force things, which has been key for me after struggling in Iloilo." Lee, who finished 10th at the ICTSI Iloilo Golf Challenge following a sixth-place effort at Forest Hills, seems to have regained the form that led her to victories at Lakewood and Splendido Taal earlier this year. She credited those recent struggles for teaching her the importance of staying grounded. "I was trying too hard to win. Now, I'm just trying to play humble and seize the moment," she said. Lee holds a narrow one-shot lead over Uy, who posted a 69. The former Junior World champion, who recently returned from playing on the LPGA of Taiwan Tour, overcame an inconsistent start to close strong, carding birdies on Nos. 11 and 16. "That double bogey on No. 2 pushed me to fight back," said Uy, reflecting on her miscue following a birdie on the opening hole. "After my Taiwan stint, I'm more relaxed playing here, especially with friends." A tight pack sits just behind the leaders, with six players carding 71s to share third place. Among them are seasoned Ladies Philippine Golf Tour contenders Princess Superal, Mafy Singson and Chanelle Avaricio, along with Velinda Castil, Kristine Fleetwood and Apple Fudolin, ensuring intense battle for top honors in the P1 million championship presented by Negros Power and Electric Corp. Superal, seeking a return to form, mixed two bogeys with a birdie on No. 17, while Avaricio and Singson each faltered late, dropping strokes on Nos. 16 and 17, respectively. Castil, Fleetwood, and Fudolin also kept themselves in contention despite their own late bogeys. Meanwhile, last week's Iloilo champion Sarah Ababa shot a 72 to join Kayla Nocum, Rev Alcantara and Marvi Monsalve at ninth, while other notable contenders – Chihiro Ikeda, Florence Bisera and Pamela Mariano – stood five strokes back with 73s. TMT

BACOLOD, Philippines – Albin Engino and South Korea's Hyun Ho Rho stunned the field with impressive 65s despite contrasting approaches to secure joint leadership in the rain-disrupted opening round of the ICTSI Bacolod Golf Challenge at the Bacolod Golf and Country Club on Tuesday. Engino, a journeyman still chasing a breakthrough after more than a decade on the Philippine Golf Tour, delivered a powerful back-nine performance. His round, punctuated by consecutive birdies inside 12 feet, saw him card a 34-31 for a five-under-par round at the tight par-70 layout. His steady play earned him a share of the lead with Rho, whose hot start earlier in the day set the pace. Rho, who topped last year's Philippine Golf Tour Q-School, made a quick impact with four birdies, including a string of three from the third hole. Despite a lone bogey on the back nine, the young, aggressive Korean golfer maintained his momentum, adding two more birdies to tie Engino at the top of the P2.5 million championship presented by Negros Power and Electric Corp. "I didn't expect to lead since there are many strong players, but I did my best," said Engino in Filipino, who had tied for 22nd place in the Iloilo Challenge just a week earlier. "My driving, iron play, and putting were all solid, so I just waited for the birdies to come." Rho, playing in his first-ever round at the tricky Bacolod layout, was pleased with his strategy. "I tried to be aggressive and just enjoy myself," he said. "There's nothing to change in my approach; I'm going to keep attacking and hopefully make more putts." Tom Marcelo, another lesser-known contender, was poised to take the first-round lead after reaching five-under with three holes left to play. However, a 45-minute lightning delay halted his momentum, causing him to bogey the par-3 No. 8 on a three-putt miscue and finish with a 66, dropping him to joint third. "I had no expectations since the course is tough. I just took it one shot at a time," said Marcelo, a 28-year-old rookie pro from Marikina. Despite modest finishes – tied for 28th at Forest Hills and 33rd in Iloilo – he viewed these performances as major confidence boosters. "I think I gained momentum at Forest Hills, where I had a good run. Then making the cut in Iloilo was a big confidence boost," Marcelo added, reflecting on his recent progress. His 35-31 round was highlighted by a brilliant 15-foot eagle putt on the drivable par-4, 283-yard 13th hole. Other four-under scorers were Filipino hopefuls Aidric Chan, Fidel Concepcion and homegrown talent Nelson Huerva. Chan, fresh off his Q-School success, started strong alongside Rho, racking up three birdies in the first five holes. But he struggled to maintain his form down the stretch, eventually finishing with a birdie-bogey-birdie-bogey-birdie sequence for his own 66. Despite the ups and downs, Chan remained positive about his chances, saying, "I'm pretty happy with my round. I lost a bit of momentum but recovered well toward the end." Huerva's familiarity with the tricky layout, having played the course since childhood, proved beneficial in his campaign in the early going of the 72-hole championship organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, inc. "I know the greens well, but credit goes to my caddie for reading them," Huerva said after crafting his four-under performance. Meanwhile, Reymon Jaraula's roller-coaster round ended with three birdies and as many bogeys, placing him in a tie at 67 with Randy Garalde and Japan's Ozeki Kakeru. Multi-titled veterans Tony Lascuña and Jhonnel Ababa joined the group of players finishing at 68, including the likes of Ira Alido, Rupert Zaragosa, Rico Depilo and Ramil Bisera. Forest Hills winner Keanu Jahns marked his PGT return with a 69, joining a host of others at 16th place, including Art Arbole, Luis Bagtas, Eric Gallardo, Erwin Madrileño, Ivan Monsalve, Jeffrey Pito-on, Ryan Monsalve, Nilo Salahog, Japanese Daiya Suzuki and reigning Philippine Masters champion Angelo Que, who rallied to tie for second with Alido in Iloilo. Zanieboy Gialon, last week's Iloilo Challenge champion, struggled with the tight fairways, driving out of bounds twice at No. 1 to card a double par. Despite a late bounce-back with two birdies, Gialon finished at 74, finding himself in a precarious 58th place, well below the projected cut. TMT

Jovelyn Gonzaga is making her highly-anticipated return to the professional ranks as the veteran opposite hitter signed with ZUS Coffee ahead of the new PVL season.

MANILA, Philippines — UP Fighting Maroons' Terrence Fortea is known for his streaky shooting since his high school days with the NU Bullpups handled by coach Goldwin Monteverde who is also his coach now at UP. A number of factors made it hard for Fortea to shine in the UAAP seniors division especially in a talent-laden Fighting Maroons team this UAAP Season 87 men's basketball tournament. Ever persistent, Fortea worked hard until his best game of the season yet came on October 13 when UP beat UST, 83-73, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. The fourth year guard provided the scoring lift off the bench as he went 5-of-8 from the field including 4-of-5 from the three-point area. Shooting an efficient 50 percent from beyond the arc this season (12-of-24), Fortea finished with 16 points on top of three assists and two rebounds in a +7 effort in less than 22 minutes of action. Monteverde is proud that Fortea is turning the corner. "Of course, I'm very happy and proud of Terrence. He was in-and-out in his first three seasons. He never had that rhythm that he should be getting but then I saw him work hard every practice," said Monteverde. Fortea said he just trusts Monteverde and vice versa. "I just trust coach. Coach Gold repays the trust you gave him. We just protect that trust in our team and our faith in the games." The 5-foot-11 Fortea said he was just staying ready and exploiting the weakness in UST's defense. "I was just being ready. As I've said, I just exploited the weakness of their defense. I didn't force anything. I just took whatever looks they gave me."

MANILA, Philippines — Greg Cunanan got ice in his veins after hitting the game-winning triple in the dying seconds to lift Lyceum of the Philippines University past San Beda University, 64-62, in the second round of the NCAA Season 100 men's basketball tournament at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City on Tuesday. In the last 44.3 seconds of the regulation, San Beda's Penny Estacio hit a triple, but Cunanan answered back with a trey of his own to give Lyceum a one-point lead, 61-60. But Estacio showed heart and went for a one-hander shot with 21.4 seconds remaining to give the Red Lions the advantage, 62-61. The play of the Pirates was initially set to sniper John Barba. However, with the tight defense of the Red Lions, Cunanan stepped up and hit the game-winning trey, 64-62. "My players give their all, the first to third groups they really give their best. They really played aggressive inside the court," head coach Gilbert Malabanan said. "Actually that play on Greg was a broken play, but his confidence and my trust in him was there, so I believe he can do it. Most especially the defense of San Beda was focused on John Barba, they are giving him a hard time to score, he added. Despite Barba's zero out of 11 shooting, the Pirates prevailed as Cunanan made 11 points and two rebounds, behind Gyle Montaño's 12-point outing. San Beda's Bismarck Lina, and Yukien Andrada chipped in 12, and 11 markers, respectively. The Pirates improved to a 6-5 win-loss card, while the Red Lions slipped into a 7-4 slate.

Veteran spiker Jovelyn Gonzaga has found a new home with ZUS Coffee ahead of the 2024-25 Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference, the team announced on Tuesday, Oct. 15.

MANILA, Philippines — Veteran spiker Jovelyn Gonzaga found a new home in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL), joining the Zus Coffee Thunderbelles. The Thunderbelles announced the development on Tuesday over their social media pages. "Welcome to the ZUS family, 'Bionic Ilongga'," wrote Zus. Gonzaga, former team captain of the national women's volleyball team, last played for Cignal in the 2024 All-Filipino Conference.

Stephan Schrock and Misagh Bahadoran are optimistic that football 7-a-side would gain popularity in the country the way the 11-a-side did during their time with the Philippine Azkals in the 2000s.

Vincent Cunanan drained back-to-back baskets in the crunch as Lyceum squeaked past defending champion San Beda, 64-62, in NCAA Season 100 men’s basketball tournament at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City on Tuesday, Oct. 15.

GREG CUNANAN (LPU) Player of the Game #NCAA2024

The Chicago Bulls expect point guard Lonzo Ball to play for the first time in nearly three years after being sidelined because of a knee injury when they host the Minnesota Timberwolves in a preseason game on Wednesday, Oct. 15.

NEW YORK — Turns out, Taylor and Travis like to watch a little baseball, too. Pop superstar Taylor Swift and her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, were at Yankee Stadium on Monday night for Game 1 of the American League Championship Series between the Cleveland Guardians and New York Yankees. The famous couple sat together in a suite down the right-field line, in the second row above postseason bunting and a flag commemorating the Yankees' 1932 World Series championship. Kelce, a Westlake, Ohio, native who went to high school in Cleveland Heights, sported a dark baseball cap with the words Midnight Rodeo on it. Swift also wore a hat on a 50-degree night in the Bronx. Kelce, who turned 35 on Oct. 5, grew up rooting for Kenny Lofton and Cleveland in the 1990s. Kelce threw a wild ceremonial first pitch before the Guardians' season opener last year. It was the second major sporting event for Swift and Kelce in New York City over the past five-plus weeks. The couple also sat in a box to watch the men's final at the U.S. Open tennis tournament on Sept. 8 in Queens. Kelce and the Chiefs, the two-time defending Super Bowl champions, had a bye this weekend after opening the season 5-0. Their next game is Sunday at San Francisco, a rematch of last season's Super Bowl.

Greg Cunanan buried the biggest basket of the game to help Lyceum of the Philippine University get one over its perennial tormentor San Beda University, 64-62, in the NCAA Season 100 on Tuesday.

Paul George, the nine-time NBA All-Star who joined Philadelphia as a free-agent in the off-season, hyper-extended his left knee in a pre-season victory over the Atlanta Hawks, the team said Monday.

The 8th edition of the Speed-Chess IIEE-Bayanihan Knockout Armageddon Tournament or SIKAT will be held in Pakil, Laguna on November 9, 2024. The event in Pakil was pushed by 2020 IIEE national president Rod Pecolera, who has roots in the said town where he intends to share his expertise and engineering services. "Playing chess is the right one direction for all the youngster and all commoners in the community of Pakil," said Pecolera. The champions in the previous editions of SIKAT include Fide Master Noel Dela Cruz, Fide Master Christian Gian Karlo Arca, National Master Marlon Bernardino, Kevin Arquero and Sherwin Tiu. All SIKAT champions and the runners-ups (from the losers bracket) will meet again in the Armageddon Battle of Champions (ABC) during the Philippine Sports Expo to be held in SMX MOA on November 28-30 as part of the activities during the 49th IIEE National Convention. In Pakil, a 20-board simultaneous chess exhibition games will be played by Daniel Quizon, the country's newest chess grandmaster. Another set of simultaneous games will be performed by Bernardino, who recently topped a tournament in Laos. Actor Jao Mapa, who is also a chess enthusiast, will play a one-on-one game with Pecolera, who is also being called by close friends as Direk Rowell for having a resemblance to actor/director Rowell Santiago. Meanwhilem in the second conference of Season 4 of the Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP), the IIEE-PSME Quezon City Simba's Tribe won over Arriba Iriga, 12-9. The Simba's Tribe is bannered by NM Bernardino, NM Nicomedes Alisangco, Jellie Ann Magro, Danilo Ponay, Norman Madriaga and the twins Francis and Freddie Talaboc. In the IIEE National Chess Olympiad Season 6, the IIEE Metro Central team led by NM Bernardino claimed its third win against IIEE Metro South, 33-21, to take the top spot in the 20-team tournament. GEP won over Metro East (47-35) in the other match up in Group D.

Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard will miss the entire preseason due to a right knee injury that calls into question his availability for the start of the regular season.

La Salle moved on from the alleged “spit-or-not?” incident that dominated the most recent conversation on the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball tournament. It didn’t take long for University of the Philippines (UP) to do the same. “I let that go,” said UP’s Reyland Torres, one of the prime figures of the controversy where Archers

Eric Jed Olivarez secured his spot in the finals of the Rep. Edwin Olivarez National Open tennis championship with a gritty win over Loucas Fernandez, 6-0, 7-6(0), at the Olivarez Sports Center in Sucat, Parañaque last Monday, Oct. 14.

Rain or Shine import Aaron Fuller knew that it isn’t impossible to get out of a 0-3 hole in a best-of-seven semifinal series. But against a traditional powerhouse looking to keep its lofty perch in the PBA Governors’ Cup? Fuller chose not to go through the trouble of fighting through that deficit during the PBA

The supreme art of war, the Chinese philosopher Sun Tzu wrote, is to subdue the enemy without fighting. A thorough beating handed to a semifinal foe, a series of dagger looks and five seconds in the title bout were all Hergie Bacyadan needed to force China’s Teng Jinwei to surrender the gold in the Asian

Atlanta Hawks Last season: 36-46, 10th in Eastern Conference. Coach: Quin Snyder (3rd season with Hawks, 11th overall, 418-321). Departures: G Dejounte Murray, G AJ Griffin, F Saddiq Bey, F Fernando Bruno, G Wesley Matthews Additions: G-F Zaccharie Risacher, G Dyson Daniels, PF-C Larry Nance Jr., F David Roddy, C Cody Zeller, G-F Nikola Djurisic, F Dominick Barlow BetMGM championship odds: 500-1 What to expect Landing Risacher with the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft after having Jalen Johnson emerge in his third season gives the Hawks reason for hope. That may not be enough to rescue a roster that could be facing more turnover following the decision to trade Trae Young's backcourt partner Dejounte Murray to New Orleans for four veterans and two future first-round draft picks. Young remains the figurehead of the franchise as he enters his seventh season, but the 6-foot-9 Risacher already has demonstrated in the preseason he can add flash and excitement to the team. Risacher made a bounce pass between his legs to the trailing Clint Capela for a fast-break layup while scoring 18 points in the preseason opening win over Indiana. Risacher will play an immediate prominent role on the wing. Strengths and weaknesses The good: Even after trading Murray, the Hawks have options with Bogdan Bogdanovic, De'Andre Hunter, Daniels and Risacher on the wing. Daniels also should boost the defense, while Nance adds needed size inside. Jalen Johnson's role as an emerging go-to scoring complement to Young should only be solidified following the trade of Murray. The not-so-good: Decisions must be made about Capela, who can be a free agent next season, and Hunter, whose struggles with injuries have prevented him from sharing the scoring lead with Young. A slow start by the team could lead to more moves which could make the trade of Murray look like only the start of a roster overhaul. Players to watch Snyder says he has been impressed by Risacher's work ethic and feel for the game, and a big rookie season by the 19-year-old French star could accelerate the team's path for a return to the playoffs. Johnson played like a rising All-Star by averaging 16 points and 8.7 rebounds last season. With Murray gone, Kobe Bufkin should play behind Young. Onyeka Okongwu already has earned an even share of playing time with Capela and could be ready to take over the starting job at center.

SHAH ALAM, MALAYSIA—The Philippine Azkals were busy doing whatever they can to shake off the disappointment of losing a heartbreaker to Japan in the final of the Asia 7s Championship when Misagh Bahadoran took it upon himself to address the team. “Don’t cry now, cry after the game,” Bahadoran said inside the Azkals tent after

Charlotte Hornets Last season: 21-61, missed playoff for eight straight season Coach: Charles Lee (first-time NBA head coach, hired May 9). Departures: F Davis Bertans, F Aleksej Pokusevski, G Bryce McGowens. Additions: G Josh Green, F Taj Gibson, F Tidjane Salaun, G K.J. Simpson. BetMGM championship odds: 1000-1. What to expect It's the start of a new era in Charlotte with Charles Lee taking over as head coach. Lee won NBA titles as an assistant coach in Milwaukee and Boston, so he has a winning pedigree that has resonated with players. He has been stressing the importance of defense since his arrival — and that goes for everyone, including point guard LaMelo Ball. The Hornets ranked near the bottom of the league in most defensive categories a season ago, including rebounding and 3-point defense. This is a team that has some firepower on offense with Ball, Brandon Miller and Miles Bridges, but will need to stay healthy if it hopes to snap a league-long eight-year playoff drought. Strengths and weaknesses The good: Charlotte has a quality young core in Ball, Miller, Bridges and center Mark Williams and Josh Green as its starting five, so there is reason to be optimistic about the future. Depth has been an issue, but the Hornets are getting better with Vasi Micic, Grant Williams, Tre Mann, Cody Martin and Seth Curry coming off the bench. The problem over the last two seasons has been keeping guys on the floor. If the Hornets buy into Lee's defense-first approach and can stay healthy then the playoffs are not out of question. The not-so-good: The Hornets lack a quality center who can get them a big basket inside when they need it. The 7-foot Williams is long and plays good defense, but neither he nor backup Nick Richards is particularly known for their scoring. That means Charlotte's offense mainly comes from outside of the paint and from a lot 3-pointers. Ball and Miller both can fill it up. On-ball defense has been issue for this team, but the addition of Green and the return of Martin from an injury should help. Players to watch All eyes will be on Ball this year to see if he can stay on the court and return to an All-Star level. Ball has managed to play in just 58 of 164 games over the past two seasons due to ankle injuries. He plans to wear braces to begin the season. When he's played, Ball has been really good. He averaged 23.9 points and 8 assists per game in 2023-24 and is a 37.4% career shooter from 3-point range. Without a healthy Ball, it's hard to imagine the Hornets going far.

Milwaukee Bucks Last season: 49-33, lost to Indiana in first round of playoffs. Coach: Doc Rivers (2nd season with Bucks, 26th season overall, 1,896-1,114) Departures: F Thanasis Antetokounmpo, G Malik Beasley, G Patrick Beverley, F Jae Crowder, F Danilo Gallinari Additions: G AJ Johnson, F Taurean Prince, F Tyler Smith, G Gary Trent Jr., G Delon Wright BetMGM championship odds: 14-1 What to expect The Bucks once again have one of the league's top trios in two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, seven-time all-NBA guard Damian Lillard and three-time All-Star Khris Middleton. The trick is keeping all of them healthy. Antetokounmpo didn't play at all in Milwaukee's first-round playoff loss to Indiana last season and missed multiple games in Milwaukee's 2023 first-round playoff exit. Middleton has played a combined 74 games over the last two regular seasons. Milwaukee is hopeful that it will fare better this year now that it's had more time to adapt to Lillard and Rivers. The Bucks acquired Lillard shortly before training camp last year. Rivers was working as an ABC broadcaster until he got hired in late January after the Bucks fired Adrian Griffin. The Bucks often lacked cohesiveness as they adjusted to so much change. That shouldn't bea problem this season. Strengths and weaknesses The good: Antetokounmpo remains one of the league's top two or three players. Lillard didn't work out much while awaiting a trade in the summer of 2023 because he didn't want to risk getting hurt. He will open this season in much better shape. Middleton says he's feeling fine after undergoing offseason surgery on each of his ankles. Even as they struggled last season, the Bucks were dominant whenever Antetokounmpo, Lillard, Middleton and 7-footer Brook Lopez were on the floor together. They should have that combination on the floor more often this season. The not-so-good: Depth remains a major issue. Given their salary-cap constraints, the Bucks did well in adding Prince, Trent and Wright as veteran free agents. But this remains a very top-heavy roster, so the Bucks can't afford to have Antetokounmpo, Lillard, Middleton or Lopez miss significant time. The Bucks must replace Beasley, who made 77 starts with Milwaukee last season before signing with the Detroit Pistons. Age also is a major concern. Middleton is 33, Lillard 34 and Lopez 36. Players to watch Lillard was a seven-time all-NBA guard in 11 seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers, but he didn't get a single all-NBA vote his first year in Milwaukee. The Bucks need him to regain that all-NBA form. Middleton has to stay healthy. The Bucks also must have Antetokounmpo continue playing like one of the best players on the planet. Off the bench, the Bucks would love to see Bobby Portis pick up where he left off last year, and they'd also benefit from a bounce-back season by Pat Connaughton.

Juan Soto homered during New York’s three-run third inning, Carlos Rodón got his first postseason win and the Yankees took advantage of Cleveland’s wildness in a 5-2 victory on Monday night, Oct. 14, in Game 1 of the AL Championship Series.

Oklahoma City Thunder Last season: 57-25, lost to Dallas in second round of playoffs. Coach: Mark Daigneault (5th season, 143-175). Departures: G Josh Giddey, G Lindy Waters III. Additions: G Alex Caruso, C Isaiah Hartenstein. BetMGM championship odds: +650. What to expect Oklahoma City returns nearly the entire core of a team that earned the top seed in the Western Conference playoffs last season. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was runner-up for the league MVP award after averaging 30.1 points, 5.5 rebounds and 6.2 assists. At age 26, he's just hitting his prime. His confidence is at an all-time high after dominating at the Olympics for Canada. Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams are potential All-Stars. The Thunder addressed their rebounding issue by adding Isaiah Hartenstein from the New York Knicks. Add the reigning NBA Coach of the Year in Mark Daigneault, and it appears the Thunder's quick rise from lottery team two years ago could continue. A trip to the NBA Finals and a championship are legitimate possibilities. Strengths and weaknesses The good: Oklahoma City is equally tough on offense and defense. The Thunder feature the versatile, high-scoring Gilgeous-Alexander on offense, with Williams and Holmgren as capable secondary ballhandlers and floor spacers. On defense, Oklahoma City has added Alex Caruso, a veteran who can share the defensive stopper role with Lu Dort, and Hartenstein, a rebounder and rim protector with some bulk. Oklahoma City's depth was exceptional last season, and most of the top reserves are back. The not-so-good: The Thunder had great chemistry last season, but now they will have to work in two significant pieces in Caruso and Hartenstein. That could take some time and might cost them some games early if the blending process isn't smooth. The Thunder also lost their best passer in Giddey — a maestro who took pressure off Gilgeous-Alexander — in the trade with Chicago that brought Caruso. And Oklahoma City will not sneak up on anyone. This is the first time in years that the Thunder open the season as a target. It's unclear how the team will handle its new position in the league. Players to watch Holmgren is perhaps the closest thing to San Antonio's Victor Wembanyama that anyone else has in the league, and he's surrounded by talent. He's the ideal new-age player – on offense, a 7-foot-1 big man who is a skilled passer, shooter and ballhandler and on defense, a rim protector who can guard all positions. G Cason Wallace also could see more minutes with Giddey gone. He made the All-Rookie second team last season, despite playing limited minutes because of Oklahoma City's depth.