Sports
Pistons, winless but optimistic, visit Heat
Oct 26, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Boston Celtics forward Xavier Tillman (26) defends against Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) during the second half at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Reginek-Imagn Images The Detroit Pistons, who had the worst record in the NBA last season, still are looking for their first win of the 2023-24 campaign.
But that doesn’t mean things aren’t looking up.
The Pistons, who will visit the Miami Heat on Monday night, are 0-3, with the three losses coming to teams that were in the NBA playoffs last season, including the reigning champion Boston Celtics.
Two of their losses have been by six points, the other by 12.
The Pistons led the Celtics 112-106 with just over five minutes remaining Saturday, but Boston went on an 8-0 run that Detroit couldn’t recover from in the 124-118 loss.
Part of that is due to the Pistons’ long-running problem of being able to close out games. In the first quarter of games this season, the Pistons are averaging 30.3 points. In the fourth quarter, it’s 22.
But despite that disparity, Pistons forward Isaiah Stewart is confident in his team.
“It’s completely different than last season,” Stewart said. “We have good chemistry. We have confidence. It’s just a different feeling.”
One of the additions made by Detroit for this season is 6-foot-5 shooting guard Tim Hardaway Jr., the son of the former Heat star. The younger Hardaway, who went to high school in Miami, is averaging 10.7 points this season.
The Pistons are under new management this season. Former Duke star Trajan Langdon is the new president of basketball operations, and he hired J.B. Bickerstaff as coach. Bickerstaff led Cleveland to the second round of last season’s NBA playoffs before getting fired.
Aside from Hardaway, the Pistons brought in veterans Malik Beasley (14.7 scoring average) and Tobias Harris (10.3).
But Detroit relies most on young stars such as Cade Cunningham (27.3 points, 8.0 assists, 5.0 rebounds) and Jaden Ivey (21.7 points, 4.7 assists, 5.0 rebounds).
Cunningham is 23, and Ivey is 22.
Miami, meanwhile, lost its opener at home against the Orlando Magic, 116-97, and won Saturday at Charlotte.
“Everybody had an impact,” Heat center Bam Adebayo said after the 114-106 win against the Hornets.
With power forward Kevin Love out due to personal reasons, Miami has been starting Terry Rozier and Tyler Herro at guard, and Jimmy Butler, Nikola Jovic and Adebayo up front.
The bench is led by 2023 first-round pick Jaime Jaquez Jr., 3-point shooter Duncan Robinson and free-agent signee Alec Burks.
“We’re a deep team,” Herro said. “(Burks) is a pro’s pro. I haven’t seen him miss a corner 3-pointer since he got here.”
There’s a lot of pressure on Butler, who is in the twilight of his career at age 35. Butler had just three points, four rebounds and five assists in the loss to Orlando, but he bounced back with 26 points, eight rebounds and eight assists against Charlotte.
Butler also had a team-high 75 touches against the Hornets as Miami seemed to make a big effort to get their star more involved.
It’s just two games, but Adebayo is off to a slow start, averaging 10.5 points, 8.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists. Last season, he averaged 19.3 points, 10.4 rebounds and 3.9 assists.
Jovic, who represented Serbia in the 2024 Olympics in Paris, is an ascending player at age 21. In certain lineups, Jovic, at 6-10 and 210 pounds, subs in for Adebayo at center.
Jovic is averaging 12.5 points, 3.5 assists and 4.5 rebounds over 27 minutes per game.
–Field Level Media
Sports
RFA Cole Sillinger signs 3-year deal with Blue Jackets
Oct 13, 2025; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Columbus Blue Jackets center Cole Sillinger (4) walking the blue carpet greeting fans before the game on opening night against the New York Islanders at Nationwide Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russell LaBounty-Imagn Images Restricted free-agent forward Cole Sillinger avoided arbitration by signing a three-year, $13.875 million contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
The deal, announced Saturday, spans through the 2028-29 season.
The move comes one day after the Blue Jackets avoided arbitration by signing goaltender Jet Greaves to a three-year, $15 million contract.
“Cole is a hard-working, reliable two-way forward who plays the game the right way, has outstanding character and continues to grow and improve,” said Don Waddell, Blue Jackets’ president of hockey operations and general manager.
“He has played a lot of games in this league at a very young age, and we are excited about his future and his contributions to our organization.”
Sillinger, 23, recorded 33 points (eight goals, 25 assists) and a plus-2 rating in 81 games last season with the Blue Jackets. He was playing in the last season of a two-year, $4.5 million contract.
Sillinger has totaled 140 points (51 goals, 89 assists) in 367 career games since being selected by Columbus with the 12th overall pick of the 2021 NHL Draft.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Super Bowl-winner Jordan Devey dies at 38
Sep 27, 2015; Glendale, AZ, USA; San Francisco 49ers offensive lineman Jordan Devey reacts against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Jordan Devey, a retired NFL offensive lineman who won a Super Bowl with the New England Patriots, died at age 38.
According to a GoFundMe page started to benefit his wife, Linsey, and their four young children, Devey “took his own life.” As of Saturday morning, the fund had collected more than $92,000 of its $200,000 goal.
Devey was the rare NFL player who didn’t play high school football, giving up the sport after junior high. Afflicted by a disease that causes knee inflammation and pain in children and teens, Devey played tuba in the school band.
After a two-year mission with the Church of Latter Day Saints, he enrolled in Snow College in Ephraim, Utah, and played two years of football since his knee issue had lessened. He transferred to Memphis for his final two seasons, then signed with the Baltimore Ravens after being unselected in the 2013 NFL Draft.
The Patriots signed the 6-foot-7 Devey to their practice squad that September and promoted him to the active roster in 2014 — the same season New England defeated the Seattle Seahawks to win Super Bowl XLIX.
He played with the San Francisco 49ers in 2015, appearing in a career-high 15 games (nine starts), then followed with stops with the Kansas City Chiefs, then-Oakland Raiders and Buffalo Bills through the 2020 season. In all, he played in 44 NFL games (21 starts).
Following his career, he volunteered as a coach of his kids’ teams and coached high school football coach in Idaho.
In an interview with Fox 13 in Salt Lake City, Leslie Devey said she believed the brain injury CTE contributed to her son’s death on Tuesday.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Jays' Addison Barger to have elbow surgery, out for season
Mar 18, 2026; Dunedin, Florida, USA; Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Addison Barger (47) hits a home run during the second inning against the Baltimore Orioles at TD Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Addison Barger will undergo surgery on his right elbow Monday and will miss the remainder of the season.
The Blue Jays announced the news on Friday for Barger, who played in just nine games this season.
After missing more than one month with an ankle injury, Barger injured his elbow in his return to the field on May 9. Per manager John Schneider, Barger’s injury was sustained after the outfielder threw a 101.2-mph throw to nail a tagging runner at the plate.
“It’s tough to lose the whole year of at-bats, reps and performance,” Schneider said. “We were counting on him to be a big part of our team. You can see how much we miss him, for sure. It’s also a dude starting his career and trending in the right direction who’s missing, basically, a full season. It’s frustrating for him and for us.”
Barger, 26, went 1-for-22 (.045) with two RBIs this season after hitting 21 homers with 74 RBIs in 135 games in 2025. He batted .367 (22-for-60) with three home runs and nine RBIs in 17 games during the 2025 postseason.
Since making his major league debut in 2024, Barger is a career .223 hitter with 28 home runs and 104 RBIs in 213 games for the Blue Jays.
–Field Level Media
RFA Cole Sillinger signs 3-year deal with Blue Jackets
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