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Tyrese Maxey keeps it real about Kentavious Caldwell-Pope after 76ers win vs. Knicks appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

NEW YORK — After the Philadelphia 76ers’ longest-tenured player Joel Embiid told Tyrese Maxey he felt something different from within during a 106-100 win against the New York Knicks on Opening Night, the All-Star guard understood what he meant, pointing to the championship experience LeBron James, Jaylen Brown, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope bring to the table. After his 76ers debut, James said Maxey’s speed impressed him most.

While most are quick to point to the 76ers’ All-Star additions of James and Brown over the summer as critical, Maxey reminded a reporter of Caldwell-Pope, whom Maxey says is a key voice and veteran with championship experience in the team’s locker room.

“We got 3. KCP came, too. That’s underrated because his talk is exceptional. And what he’s done for this group. He played well tonight. Not just his play, but his talk, his growth as a leader. We’re gonna need it,” Maxey said. “We’re gonna need it throughout the year. And Bron and JB; we know what they do. They brought championship pedigree. We’re going to lean on those guys to lead us.”

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“We got 3. KCP came, too. That’s underrated because his talk is exceptional. And what he’s done for this group.

He played well tonight. Not just his play, but his talk, his growth as a leader. We’re gonna need it… And Bron and JB; we know what they do… we’re going to lean on… pic.twitter.com/pkrfRVWPHT

— Josue Pavón (@Joe_Sway) October 21, 2026

76ers veteran Kentavious Caldwell-Pope won a championship alongside LeBron James with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020. For 76ers All-Star Tyrese Maxey, all three bring championship pedigree that matters just as much for Philadelphia this season. For a team that added nine new players with one goal in mind, Maxey isn’t overlooking the importance of listening to players who have won it all.

76ers’ Jaylen Brown, who led the Celtics to a title in 2024, was named Boston’s Finals MVP. After spoiling the Knicks’ championship-banner-raising night at Madison Square Garden, the 76ers will host the Cleveland Cavs in their home opener on Wednesday.

Caldwell-Pope finished with 13 points on 5-for-10 shooting, including a pair of threes in the fourth quarter, four rebounds, one assist, and one block. Maxey finished with a game-high 28 points, five assists, four rebounds, three steals, and three blocks in Tuesday’s win.

Related: 76ers’ Joel Embiid issues strong defensive declaration in locker room after beating Knicks

Related: What impressed LeBron James most about 76ers’ Tyrese Maxey in win vs. Knicks

If the nature of their rivalry with Brazil means many an Argentinian will not gush about Rio, Alexis Mac Allister was a happy exception. “Rio was amazing,” he said, and if he was talking about Rio Ngumoha rather than Rio de Janeiro, the sentiments were shared.

The Kop borrowed a chant from other historic enemies, Manchester United, to salute the 18-year-old as he became the youngest Liverpool player to assist a goal in the Champions League or to make two in a game since Michael Owen in 1998. Which, to put it another way, was about a decade before his birth.

Liverpool’s comeback win against Villarreal had the feel of another night when Ngumoha took a sizeable step forward. Although, given the speed at which he surged, his acceleration may have taken him further than that. Sometimes teenage talents have technique before they have the physique but it was notable how much speed and power Ngumoha showed on the burst to set up Mac Allister’s second goal.

“The man came tight to me and the ball came, my first touch was direct and then I’m able to run at pace. Macca, good finish,” said Ngumoha. Andoni Iraola was quick to point out that the winger could have gone down and perhaps got a penalty. The thought did not seem to enter Ngumoha’s mind.

He likes running at defenders, but also getting past them. “Whenever I get the ball and there’s an opportunity to go one-v-one or two-v-one sometimes, by all means I’ll do it,” he added. “I believe in myself to do it.”

Liverpool have believed in Ngumoha for a while, but also realised they had to show some patience. Arne Slot was booed when he took the youngster off against Chelsea in May but was always conscious of how many minutes to give a player adjusting to first-team football. There are other reasons why his introduction to the side has been gradual. “He struggled defensively in the first half,” said Iraola on Tuesday. “The second half was much better.” Mac Allister also pointed out the rookie’s work off the ball.

Iraola added: “Today he didn’t have an easy game also because they were demanding him defensively and their left-back was attacking a lot.” Ngumoha was able to turn the tables and Iraola said: “There was a moment offensively where he was very difficult to stop. If we can put Rio in situations one-v-one, he makes plays, he produces things. The assist for Alexis is a lovely play. Also, endurance-wise he is able to play more and more minutes. We were pushing him a little bit.”

The sense is that Ngumoha is both a quick learner and a willing one. “I am very happy with his attitude because he tries to improve the things we think he needs to improve,” said Iraola. “He is eager to add more things to his game.”

One is the capacity to play on the right. The right winger who used to star on Merseyside on Champions League nights was Mohamed Salah. On Tuesday, it was Ngumoha. Yet after Liverpool missed out on the signing of Yan Diomande, they ended the transfer window with four wingers who prefer to play on the left. Since then, it has seemed they are taking it in turns to impress on their less-favoured flank. Cody Gakpo has delivered from terrific crosses from the right. Victor Munoz has scored one goal operating as a right winger and another as an auxiliary right-back. Ngumoha illuminated a Champions League night at Anfield when he was not even operating in his preferred position.

“He has changed the sides a lot. He has played a lot on the right,” said Iraola, who wants wingers who he can use on either side. “Lately he is feeling so comfortable now and is having some shots with the left foot. He hasn’t scored yet but he is getting there and if he adds small things to his game it will put him in an even better position.”

Goalscoring is an area that offers scope for improvement. Ngumoha’s tally stands at two goals in 39 games for Liverpool, even if only 15 were starts and he has only once completed 90 minutes. Liverpool’s other three wingers have seven goals between them this season. He only has one since last August’s 100th-minute winner at Newcastle.

“The good thing with Rio is he is still 18,” Iraola said. “He is not the full package. He can add things, fortunately for us. Hopefully he can continue in the same way. He’s not always going to be like this. He will have ups and downs in the process. But I’m happy because attitude-wise I think he’s in a great place.”

And Liverpool, lamentable in the first half-hour against Villarreal, triumphant by the end, were in a rather better place after he served Europe notice of his talent.

Borussia Dortmund midfielder Joey Veerman has spoken candidly about his team’s exhausting recent travel schedule after Tuesday evening’s 2-1 Champions League victory over Sabah FK in Azerbaijan. The Dutch international revealed that he had spent remarkably little time at home with his family between Dortmund’s recent European and Bundesliga fixtures.

“Yeah, it definitely wasn’t the best week,” Veerman told reporters in the mixed zone following the victory in Baku. “I have a family at home with two kids. I came home for 12 hours. I came back for 12 hours and then we flew to Baku.”

The midfielder was referring to Dortmund’s recent itinerary, which has taken the club from northern Norway to Berlin and then Azerbaijan in the space of just seven days. After last Wednesday’s 1-0 Champions League defeat against Bodø/Glimt, the Schwarzgelben traveled to the German capital for Saturday’s goalless draw against Union Berlin.

“Not the best week,” the 27-year-old concluded. “To end it with a win is obviously very nice.”

Dortmund’s goalkeeper Gregor Kobel also spoke openly about the physical demands of a schedule that has afforded the players little time to recover. Speaking to DAZN after Tuesday’s victory, the Swiss international described the constant travel, hotel stays and limited recovery periods as particularly exhausting. Kobel nevertheless insisted that such difficulties must never be used to excuse disappointing performances.

Against that backdrop, Tuesday’s victory in Baku came as a welcome relief.

Niko Kovac’s team had entered Tuesday’s encounter without a win in three matches, having surrendered a two-goal advantage in a 2-2 draw against Werder Bremen before suffering disappointing results in Norway and Berlin. Serhou Guirassy’s two goals in Baku finally brought that sequence to an end.

Despite Dortmund creating numerous opportunities, the contest remained competitive until the final whistle. Sabah equalized shortly before halftime and almost struck again in the closing stages.

Dortmund were ultimately able to protect their narrow lead and secure a second Champions League victory of the campaign.

Sporting director Nils-Ole Book also acknowledged the unusual demands of Dortmund’s latest European excursion.

“That makes us all the more happy that we picked up the three points,” Book told reporters in the mixed zone. “The trip isn’t over just yet. We still have to ensure that the players make it home safely and have time to regenerate. After that, I’ll be very glad when we play at home again.”

There was also an unusual detail surrounding Dortmund’s departure from the Baku Olympic Stadium.

The players left the ground without showering, heading directly back to their hotel instead. Book suggested that the stadium’s shower facilities were considerably less inviting than those available at the team’s accommodation. Kovac later explained that the players had been advised against using the stadium’s shower facilities, even after training the previous day.

“You can interpret that however you like,” the sporting director remarked. “It’s just not exactly posh.”

For Dortmund, the logistical demands of the trip should finally begin to ease when the team returns to Germany on Wednesday.

The Schwarzgelben are scheduled to host Eintracht Frankfurt in Saturday evening’s Bundesliga encounter at Signal Iduna Park, providing a welcome opportunity to play in familiar surroundings after three successive away fixtures.

GGFN | Peter Weis

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Heat’s Giannis Antetokounmpo shows love for Brewers ahead of World Series appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Miami Heat star Giannis Antetokounmpo is preparing to begin his new chapter with the team as they open their season against the Minnesota Timberwolves. However, beyond basketball, the Heat star is also closely following the upcoming World Series, where the Tampa Bay Rays are set to face the Milwaukee Brewers.

Following the Brewers’ return to the World Series for the first time since 1982, Giannis described the achievement as “incredible” and expressed his happiness for the organization.

“It’s incredible,” Antetokounmpo said via The Athletic. “I’m so happy for the team. It’s been a lot of years in the works. (Brewers principal owner) Mr. Mark Attanasio, his family and his partners, really invested in that city and that team.

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“They’ve done a great job developing players. I wish them nothing but the best, and I love what the coach (Pat Murphy) said. ‘(The Los Angeles Dodgers) might have had a lot of Hall of Famers, but we had a lot of gamers.’ That’s a quote that will last forever.”

Antetokounmpo spent 13 NBA seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks, dedicating his career to the franchise and helping lead the team to an NBA championship. This offseason brought an end to his long-standing connection with the Bucks. Yet Giannis still maintains a deep affection for Milwaukee and its fans, who supported him throughout his journey with the franchise.

However, Giannis is not simply rooting for his former hometown team from a distance. He is also an investor in the Brewers, having joined the team’s ownership group in 2021. His addition made him the first new individual investor in the Brewers’ ownership group since Mark Attanasio purchased the franchise in 2005.

Meanwhile, the best-of-seven World Series is scheduled to begin Friday at American Family Field in Milwaukee. The Brewers swept the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series, while the Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Cleveland Guardians in six games to secure the American League pennant.

The Brewers and Rays are now preparing to enter the World Series to pursue the first championship in their respective histories.

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