The Guru’s UPSHOT League Report: Charlotte Huge 4th Quarter Rally over Host Jacksonville Gains Upset and Leads to First League Championship

 By Mel Greenberg @womhoopsgurux

For all but opening day of the regular season and three quarters of the inaugural title game Saturday night in Jacksonville, Fla., the host Wave owned the new four-team UPSHOT League.

Then in the final period the visiting two-seed Charlotte Crown put a regal finish in the packed VStar Memorial Arena rallying from what had been a 14-point deficit earlier in the second half, and paced by Deja Kelly, who scored 29 points with six boards, to claim the deed to the first championship in the developmental women’s pro league with a stunning 81-76 victory off a 32-19 fourth quarter that still had a chance to be regained by the Wave, which ebbed on a pair of missed potential game-tying 3-pointers with less than 30 seconds remaining in regulation.

Kelly, who starred collegiately at North Carolina and Oregon, easily won the Ann Meyers Drysdale MVP trophy.

The Naismith and Women’s Basketball Hall of Famer, for who the trophy is named, and also was a four-time all-American at UCLA, was in the arena as one of the investors as were women’s hoops greats Cheryl Miller and Tamika Catchings, who also have a stake in the league.

Our colleague Rob Knox was on hand for IX Sports and the quotes in this post are drawn on his excellent coverage.

For those wondering from her name, Meyers Drysdale is the widow of the late L.A. Dodgers pitching sensation Don Drysdale.

“Ann Meyers Drysdale is a legend, so to have won an award that’s named after her is truly a blessing,” Kelly said. “It’s an honor. Obviously, I would have loved to win the regular season MVP, and I think I deserved it.

“But the championship MVP means a little bit more, so we’ll take that. And the fact that we won the ‘chip means a lot more. I’m truly blessed. It’s truly an honor, a great award. There’s so much meaning behind it, and to be the first, that’s a blessing in itself,” she continued.

“So, it’s a great award, but I couldn’t have done it without my team. They have helped me throughout this whole season. We got a lot of MVPs on our team who could’ve been up for that award, too. They have been so supportive and a great value to what I was able to do on the court.”

Charlotte (23-11), whose season could be considered an omen of the Crown’s eventual result, started 1-6 and then caught fire to eventually finish two games behind Jacksonville (25-9) but way ahead of the Greensboro Groove (11-23) and Savannah Steel (9-25).

By seed it may look like an upset, but the Crown picked up late summer wins on the Wave to draw closer down the stretch.

Next year Nashville and Baltimore join with league co-founders being Donna Orender, a Queens (N.Y.) star in the late 1970s who was the second president of the WNBA and is UPSHOT Commissioner, Andy Kaufman, who is CEO of Zawyer Sports & Entertainment, and Deloitte veteran Mark Walsh, the organization from which WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert previously worked.

Jacksonville is coached Jess Bogia, a native of Philadelphia who coached in the nationally prominent AAU Philadelphia Belles and was on several collegiate staffs, while Trisha Stafford-Odom coached Charlotte in the comeback.

Of Kelly, Stafford-Odom told Knox, “What I see is actually an introvert for the most part, pretty quiet, pretty shy, and has the weight of the world by her people’s expectations and mainly people that don’t know her.

“There are assumptions that fly all over the place about what she may be like because she’s such an exceptional scorer, exceptional basketball player,” Stafford-Odom said. “She’s such a beautiful young lady, but what I’ve learned is that she’s a beautiful spirit who allowed me to coach her to do something different and expand her game.

“What I would love people to know about Deja Kelly is that she’s an individual willing to sacrifice,” the Charlotte coach explained. “She’s very unselfish, and her goal is about winning. But she’s a wonderful soul. She’s grateful for her opportunities, and she’s a bucket.”

And just like the WNBA, the crowd did not lack for notables, primarily NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal, a league official partner off his brand Dunkman, which designs and supplies the league’s uniforms, shoes, and gear.

At halftime, according to Knox, he whispered some advice to Stafford-Odom as the team came off the floor.

The Wave in the contest continued to surge coming out of the break on an 8-0 run to go up 44-30 with 8:05 left in the third period.

Then the tide began to turn, KK Dean finishing with 14 points for Charlotte, while Reigan Richardson and AD, formerly known as Asia Durr, each scored 11. Down the stretch Kylie Kornegay-Lewis scored nine points.

Jacksonville’s Ariel Hearn and Rennia Davis each scored 15 points, Jasmine Walker scored 11, and Shyanne Sellers and Lindsey Pulliam each scored 10. Adut Bulgak grabbed 11 boards.

Other notables at the game where former WNBA stars Muriel Page and Kym Hampton, who scored the New York Liberty’s first basket in the league’s inaugural 1997 game in Los Angeles against the Sparks.

Cheltenham’s Laura Harper, the MVP of Maryland’s 2006 NCAA overtime championship in Boston against ACC-Rival Duke now coaching Towson, was in the house to see her former Tigers player Kornegay-Lewis.

Said Charlotte’s Qunizia Fulmore, “The environment wad definitely lit. For this to be a new league, I am so surprised. We have so many supporters. Some of our Charlotte fans I always see at home games were here. Even the Jacksonville fans were very respectful and nice, saying they love watching us play as well. It’s just such a good vibe, especially for this to be the first year for this league. I’m genuinely impressed.”

During the game, all-league honors were given to the Waves’ Hearn and Davis, Charlotte’s Kelly and Scaquilla Nunn, Greensboro’s Diamond Johnson, another Philly native, and Lasha Petree of Savannah.

Hearn was the season MVP and Waves teammate Taylor Soule won the Sixth Women award, while Nunn was defensive player of the year.

For the UPSHOT co-founders, the outcome and entire season was an affirmation of their vision.

“It’s actually really hard to put into words,” Orender said. “I’d love to be able to pour out this most eloquent quote.

“It’s actually overwhelming in a way, right? You work hard for something. You believe in it. It comes together piece by piece, and then all of a sudden it’s there.

“It’s a tremendous amount of hard work by so many people. It’s incredibly validating, and then it’s also so very gratifying. … We’re laying down a foundation that is going to be built upon, and that honestly, that’s heavy stuff.”

Not to be left out among the league front office is the glue, former WNBA great Taj McWilliams-Franklin, who also played for the ABL’s Philadelphia Rage and is the league’s vice president of operations running the day-to-day infrastructure.

Several players have already found their way onto WNBA rosters.

It’s been mentioned to league officials that perhaps Philadelphia in 2028 and or 2029 can serve as a run-up to the coming of the WNBA in 2030, given the sellout Unrivaled drew last winter, though South Philly is not needed for an UPSHOT team to perform.

The first cities chosen don’t have much pro sports competition in the summer but even where it exists, attendance showed the explosion of women’s sports interest.

The league drew $40 million investment revenue.

“It’s no longer a talent issue in women’s basketball,” Miller told Knox. “It’s a spot issue. It’s a roster issue. We need more leagues like this. I just wanted to be a part of something from ground zero to where it is today. I’m super excited about where UPSHOT is going because it has a bright future.”

Games were available all season, including the championship, for free via the league’s YouTube channel.

“This league is so vital in the sense that not everyone gets the opportunity to play in the WNBA,” Miller said. “There are only so many spots, and only so many teams (the WNBA will have 18 after Philly arrives in 2030) and some players haven’t evolved their games quite enough yet, so they need that opportunity to strengthen, improve, and expand them. So this league is a perfect fit.”

Added Catchings, who broadcasts collegiate games in the winter on national networks, “It’s a really good league. We’re watching the talent tonight. I’m looking at the players I got a chance to call in the college game, and seeing them still succeed is a blessing.

“We’re a big family, and it’s really a tight-knit family. And it doesn’t matter whether it’s the WNBA, the UPSHOT League, a college game, or players playing overseas. Being able to come out and see good talent and good games, I think it’s important for our young ones, too, to see.”

Though on the losing side, Sellers was upbeat recapping her season.

“It was super fun tonight. The energy in the building was electric. It just shows we need more teams and that everybody is excited about women’s basketball. The growth of the game is exciting, and I couldn’t be more grateful for it,” Sellers continued.

“Playing in this league has been a huge blessing for me because I could be home sitting on my couch and trying to get individual work in. There’s nothing like playing the game that can really prepare you for the moment. I am super grateful for everything that has happened. I’ve gotten to connect with a bunch of different people. We come from all walks of life, and we’ve made it work. It’s a blessing.”

Meyers Drysdale, a summed it up, saying,“It shows that the UPSHOT League is needed. It’s an elite league that gives opportunity to women.

“The fact that it started small, and these cities don’t have pro sports, you can see by the fans that they’re hungry for it. They’re excited about it. You’ve got families here. You’ve got adults from everywhere coming to watch these women play that have a skill level that deserves the attention that it’s getting,” Myers Drysdale, who broadcasts NBA Phoenix Suns and WNBA Phoenix Mercury games, continued.

“I’m just proud of these young women that are out here playing because they’ve got the opportunity to fulfill their dream.”

 

 

The Guru’s UPSHOT League Report: Jacksonville and Charlotte Move Closer to Title Game Clinchers

 By Mel Greenberg @womhoopsguru

As the countdown of magic number time continues to decide which two of the new four-team UPSHOT League will be in the title game on Aug. 29 in Jacksonville, serving as the host city, the team Jacksonville has shown some vulnerability after being mostly invincible over the season.

Since our last report, the Wave (21-7) is still in first but the Charlotte Crown (19-10), which overcame a tough season start is now 2.5 games behind the league leader.

The Greensboro Groove is next at 10-19 11.5 behind Jacksonville and nine behind Charlotte, while the Savannah Steel is 7-21 14 games back of first and 11.5 behind Charlotte.

On the 40-game schedule, Savannah is at the edge of the cliff in terms of catching Charlotte, while Greensboro can only tie Jacksonville by winning out and the Wave going into ebb form.

The Groove is nine behind Charlotte with each having 12 left so the magic number deciding which two teams is three.

In terms who is regular season champs, Jacksonville’s magic number is any combination of wins and losses between the two teams at 11.

On Sunday a week ago, Charlotte served notice that nothing is sure on a looming title match in handing Jacksonville is worst season loss, a 105-73 home thumping in North Carolina as six players scored in double figures led by Schaquilla Nunn with 18 points and 11 rebounds.

Deja Kelly had 16 points and six boards, Reigan Richardson scored 15, Kirsten “KK” Deans scored 13 as did A.D. formerly known as Asia Durr, and Lele Grissett scored 12.

The Wave, coached by Philly native Jess Bogia, had 16 points and 10 boards from Ariel Hearn, Rennia Davis scored 14, and Shyanne Sellers scored 13.

On Wednesday, Charlotte at home pushed Savannah closer to elimination with an 83-75 victory in a closely fought contest as Richardson had 16 points built on 11 of 12 on the line, while Kelly scored 16 with nine boards, Deans had 14 and Quinzia Fulmore scored 10.

Savannah got 21 from Lasha Petree, NaJai Pollard scored 16, and Ja’Naiya “JJ” Quinnerly scored 13.

Friday saw Jacksonville get its first two-game drought, losing narrowly 97-93 to Greensboro as the Groove, trying to stay in the playoff hunt, get 20 points from Sahara Jones, while Jessica Timmons and Kayla Jones each scored 19 points, Ny’Ceara Pryor score 18, and Chrystn Williams tally 17.

Jacksonville got 27 and six boards from Hearn, Shyanne Sellers exploded for 24 with 10 assists, and Lindsey Pulliam and Rennia Davis each scored 12, and Taylor Soule had 11 points with five boards.

On Saturday, the Wave plugged the slide with a lopsided 87-62 home victory on Greensboro as they outscored the Groove 22-10 in the second period and and 28-15 in the third.

Jacksonville’s Adut Bulgak led the way with 14 points and eight boards, Khayla Pointer and Jasmine Walker each scored 12 points, as did Davis, while Soule scored 11.

Greensboro’s Pryor and Tayanna Jones Bell each scored 14, while the Groove got 10 points each from Williams, Sahara Jones and Timmons.

On Saturday and Sunday, Charlotte put Savannah closer to elimination with home sweeping 81-72 and 88-83 victories.

In the first game, the winning Crown rode a 33-24 final quarter to victory and got 26 points from Richardson, Kelly scored 19, and Deans tallied 12, while Savannah’s Quinerly scored 22, while Lasha Petree scored 14.

On Sunday, Charlotte got 23 from Kelly, shooting 6-for-12 from the field, while Durr scored 18, and Deans scored 15, and Nunn scored 13.

Savannah got 30 from Quinerly, Alisia Jenkins scored 13, and Petree and Lauryn Taylor each scored 11 points.

Looking Ahead

On this week’s slate, on Thursday Jacksonville visits Charlotte at 7 p.m. in what is another potential championship game preview and comes back again at 4 p.m. on Saturday in Charlotte.

Greensboro hosts Savannah at 7 p.m. on Friday, and repeats the matchup at 4 p.m. on Saturday.

The games are all free on the league’s YouTube channel.

Next season, the league will be adding Baltimore in the first franchise in the north and Nashville to the fold with more to come.

The Guru’s WNBA Report: New York Romps on Short-Handed ‘Vegas; Washington Wins 7th Straight; Minnesota First to Clinch Playoff Participation

 By Mel Greenberg @womhoopsguru

NEW YORK — When the New York Liberty beat the defending WNBA champion Ls Vegas Aces at the end of June for the Commissioner’s Cup title, their second win in two weeks, it was huge because it helped turned things around for a team that had plunged from playoff champion contender to scuffling in the 7th-8th standings spot, the border positions that are the differences of making the postseason or lottery bound in the next draft.

But under the event’s creation, that game doesn’t count in the standings, though the designated intra-conference games that determine who plays for the Commissioner’s Cup title besides who is the host team all are official season contests.

This is brought up in the wake of New York’s 111-71 victory before 17,082 at the Liberty’s Barclay Center Sunday afternoon over the Aces (22-11), part of the league’s Rivalry Week designated matchups.

It was also a day New York (20-13) declared the theme as a legends’ game honoring the greats in the franchise’s 30 years of existence dating to the WNBA’s inaugural summer of 1997.

One of those legends also happened to be Aces coach Becky Hammon, who became one of the league’s top players in history after making the roster as an undrafted player out of Colorado State.

Aces fans, however, Sunday’s meeting should be the game not counting in the long-range scheme of things considering Hammon decided to rest the biggest weapons on her squad, reigning and four-time MVP A’ja Wilson, who is in the hunt for another, Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young.

Hammon made the move mindful of health and safety of her stalwarts, based on a schedule that became horrific back-to-back 48-hour set of road contests, the first at 1st place Minnesota (26-7), won by the host Lynx Saturday afternoon before a Target Center crowd of 14,101 in Minneapolis that made them the first of eight who will participate in this year’s playoffs.

In that contest, coach Cheryl Reeve’s team tacked on another of thriving after missing most of the early half of the season without perennial MVP and defensive player of the year candidate Napheesa Collier, rehabbing from double ankle surgeries last winter, but who has recently returned without missing a beat.

That’s due to the play of newcomer Olivia Miles, the second overall pick in April’s draft behind Dallas taking UConn’s Azzi Fudd a year after the the Wings made the Huskies’ Pagie Bueckers the top choice and who became rookie of the year.

Miles is her likely successor and on Saturday added another signature performance with 26 points with Collier scored 22, and Natasha Howard scored 17 with nine boards and six assists.

Young scored 23 for Las Vegas and Wilson had 16 points and eight boards.

Though Minnesota proclaimed earning a playoff key, the WNBA said not so fast, citing the existence of several tiebreakers.

The Lynx quickly said no problem and quickly came back in their own back-to-back, both at home, the second before 14,421 in the Target Center Sunday afternoon watching Minnesota top Dallas 103-90, the Wings (19-14) falling to eighth in an ongoing slump that still has them inside the playoff loop a game behind New York and 5.5 ahead of expansion Portland (13-19).

On Sunday, Minnesota’s Kayla McBride set a WNBA record scoring 10 three-pointers as part of a career-high 43 points while as a team the Lynx set a franchise record for long distance makes at 18.

The Lynx have won 12-of-13 though in that run was parted from a 10-game win streak at home earlier in the week on Thursday in a stunning 89-82 home loss to Los Angeles (12-19), who on Sunday night went back into the loss column as visiting second-year Golden State (23-9) turned in an 84-78 win at Cyrpto.com Arena before 15,739 as the Valkyries (23-9) managed to blow most of a 19-point lead before holding on for the win.

Cecilia Zandalski led Golden State with 15 points off a perfect 5-for-5 from deep while Tiffany Hayes scored 14 points. Gabby Williams and Kayla Thornton each scored 11 points.

The Sparks were led by Nneka Ogunmike with 16 points, while Derica Hamby scored 13 and Kiana Williams scored 10.

It’s hard to believe that Golden State could improve that quick that was an impressive start as a franchise last year setting records for most wins as an expansion outfit and qualifying for the playoffs in their season debut.

This one was on the road but Golden State has sold out every home game played to date across the Valkyries’ two seasons in the Chase Center in San Francisco.

The Valkyries have won four straight and since June 24 they are a WNBA-best 13-2.

Sunday’s other game saw Washington (19-12) win its seventh straight, led by Shakira Austin with 19 points and 11 rebounds, and second-year pro Sonia Citron with 19 points fueled by 7-of-9 from the field, including 5-of-6 from deep with six assists in a 95-75 victory over Phoenix (12-22).

Michaela Onyenwere and Cotie McMahon, the No. 11 pick in April’s draaft, each scored 13 for the Mystics, while Kiki Iriafen had 12 points and nine rebounds.

Phoenix, which acquired Kelsey Plum from Los Angeles just ahead of the trade deadline last weekend, have lost three straight and four of five.

The visiting Mercury before a crowd of 4,200 at the small CareFirst Arena in the nation’s capital were led by Rutgers grad an North Philadelphia native Kahleah Copper with with 15 points and Noemie Brochant added 13. Alyssa Thomas had 10 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists.

On Saturday, Washington claimed New York’s Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, a former Rutgers star out of Clayton, Del., whose mother is former Cheyney star Yolanda Laney, on waivers from New York.

New York coach Chris DeMarco, aware his team was going to face a shortened roster devoid of its superstars on Sunday, said beforehand that was not a reason to take the Aces’ lightly.

The Liberties’ Marine Johannes scored a personal best 27 points propelled by seven 3-pointers.

Breanna Stewart scored 14 for the Liberty, Jonquel Jones had 15 points and eight boards, Rebecca Allen scored 13, while off the bench Han Xu scored 14, and Rebecca Gardner scored 11 with seven boards.

The absence of the Aces’ daunted trio accounted for 57 points per game and only got eight from replacement starters Brianna Turner, Dana Evans and Jewell Loyd.

After its June slide, New York is now on a four-game win streak and seven triumphs in its last eight.

Ta’Niya Latson scored 20 for the Aces, while Mai Yamamoto scored 16.

Asked afterwards in which the reporter said was one of two questions leading with the playoffs, reference that the game could be a first-round preview, Stewart responded, “We’re so far away, we’re not talking about the playoffs, let’s just talk about this game.

“Listen, it’s a mess,” she referenced the congestiveness of the playoffs, New York only a game behind Las Vegas. “But we’re going to continue to control what we can control.

“Really, happy with start to finish how we handled this game. Now, we have a big week ahead.”

On facing a short-handed Las Vegas team, first-year coach Chris DeMarco said, “Listen, they had a quick turnaround. Obviously, player safety comes first. I don’t know what their schedule looks like in terms of practices.

“They decided to rest them. It’s a dangerous game for us. More players looking for opportunities (from the Aces) so, we just wanted to keep our aggression and just keeping our brand of basketball.”

Said Johannes’ “They were missing players, so we had to stay focused. We had to stay ready.”

Of her decision on the roster, Hammon said, “My players’ health is the most important. “You got to be healthy and fresh as much as possible, obviously, after going through a season. So, the health and safety of players come first. Where we end up (in the standings) we end up.”

All three are part of the USA World Cup team, who play for the World Championships next month, as the WNBA takes a two-week break near the back end of the regular season schedule.

The 40-point loss was the second largest in franchise history.

“I’m not going to put them in any kind of jeopardy to get hurt when we’ve been expending a lot of energy on travel and a lot of miles back and forth crisscrossing the country.”

Sunday was the last of a five-game road trip.

“I mean, everybody has a brutal schedule at some point. I don’t even think they do this in the NBA, though, when it’s less than 24 hours. “With the time change it ends up being that.”

Jones expressed understanding on the Aces’ needs but also disappointment that a true test was unable to be provided.

“As competitors, we really wanted to match up against them.”

On Thursday, the Aces’ Gray in what became a key win at Indiana hit a three at the buzzer to force overtime and then a three at the end of overtime to complete a comeback in an 86-84 win in Indianapolis.

That made her the first in the WNBA to have both extending to overtime and then game-winning shots both at the buzzer.

 Indiana (20-12) bounced back on Saturday winning 90-86, in a game in which Kelsey Mitchell of the Fever scored 27 to let a league mark in the regular season with 16 20-plus scoring consecutive games.

Caitlin Clark had 26 points for the Fever with 11 assists.

Clark during the game inadvertently banged into an official causing an eighth technical, which would mean suspension from Tuesday’s visit from New York.

But the WNBA quickly rescinded that penalty afterwards.

In the game in the first quarter, DiJonai Carrington of the host Sky was ejected on a Flagrant 2 foul on Sophie Cunningham and soon thereafter on social media posted the words “White Prvilege.”

When Minnesota lost to Los Angeles, Lynx coach Reeve held every player accountable in terms of bad performances.

The ensuing two games was an upbeat attitude.

After Sunday’s game, she said of McBride, “She’s a pro’s pro. You have a back-to-back. Quick turn around. You can’t make excuses. You have to show up for your team.

“The incredible thing about ‘Mac. First of all, she’s an all-WNBA player. She’s an All-Star. Chased Paige around while scoring 43.

“Really incredible to pass (former Lynx star) Seimone Augustus. Lot of points. Lot of buckets. 6,010. That’s a lot of damn points.

“For her to do this at home. Way for the crowd to show their appreciation. They’re like that for her all the time.”

In Washington’s win, the first seventh straight since the Mystics’ title season in 2019, coming after an early expectation from pundits of not making the playoffs because of the youthful roster, coach Sydney Johnson said on Sunday, “Growth. Awareness. Reading the game much better kind of knowing what’s coming, being able to make the right play.

“As a team we can't keep giving the ball away and expect to win. So that’s what it is, getting those game reps,” he said of the team’s improvement.

The standings picture now shows Minnesota with a three-game lead on Golden State, 4.5 on Las Vegas, which is 1.5 in front of fourth-place Indiana, which is a half-game in front of Washington, Atlanta, and New York, which is a game in front of eighth-place Dallas.

Seattle in last became the first team eliminated from the league race.

Connecticut, in 14th place, is a tragic number of three to be sent to the lottery, while expansion Toronto is at two away for likewise to happen.

Dallas’ magic number over Portland, in 10th, is six, over L.A. is in 10th, Chicago a half-game behind the Sparks and Phoenix is a tragic number of four.

Besides those already mentioned, the rest of the USA FIBA roster consists of Stewart, Indiana’s Aliyah Boston and Caitlin Clark, Dallas’ Bueckers, Minnesota’s Collier, Atlanta’s Angel Reese and Rhyne Howard, Phoenix’s Kelsey Plum, and Phoenix’s Kahleah Copper.

Duke coach Kara Lawson is in charge through the Olympic cycle and is assisted by Golden State coach Natalie Nakase, Phoenix’s Tibbetts, and Indiana’s Stephanie White, while Dallas’ Jose Fernandez and Duke assistant Tia Jackson will serve as scout coaches.

Sue Bird made the selections with USA board approval.

Looking Ahead

On Monday, Atlanta hosts Toronto at 8 p.m. on NBCSN and Peacock, while Seattle hosts Toronto at 10 p.m. on USA.

Tuesday has New York at Indiana at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN, while at 10 p.m. Washington is at Las Vegas on League Pass, and at the same time Phoenix is at Los Angeles on NBA TV.

Wednesday’s card has Toronto at Dallas at 8 p.m. on USA, and at 10 p.m., Chicago is at Golden State on CNBC and USA, and Minnesota is at Portland on League Pass.

On Thursday, at 7 p.m. Atlanta is at Connecticut on League Pass, at 7 p.m., Los Angeles is at New York st 8 p.m. on Amazon Prime, which at 10 p.m. has Washington’s second game of the week at Las Vegas.

Dallas on Friday at 7:30 p.m. is at Indiana, and at 10 p.m., Portland is at Seattle, both on ION.

New York is at Connecticut at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Los Angeles is at Washington at 7:30 p.m., and Minnesota at 8 p.m. is at Las Vegas, the first two on League Pass, the latter on CBS and Paramount+.

The week wraps up Sunday at 5 p.m., Chicago at Seattle on League Pass, the same time Indiana is at Atlanta on Disney+ and ESPN, which also airs Portland at Phoenix at 7 p.m.