October 26, 2023 - Digital Sports Desk

NEW YORK – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The NBA’s new player-participation regulations are being put to the test right from the start of the season, as the league is investigating James Harden’s absence from the Philadelphia 76ers’ opener on Thursday in Milwaukee, multiple media outlets reported.

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During the offseason, Harden requested a trade to the Los Angeles Clippers, but the sides have been unable to reach an agreement. As Harden feuded with the Philadelphia front office, he was in and out of the team’s preseason training camp, and then he didn’t make the trip to Milwaukee.

The new league rules require star players to be available for nationally televised games (the 76ers-Bucks contest aired on TNT) and for games in the inaugural In-Season Tournament.

“We are looking into the facts around James Harden’s availability tonight to determine whether an approved reason exists for his lack of participation,” league spokesperson Michael Bass said in a statement.

The team stated on its injury report that Harden was sidelined because of “return to competition reconditioning.”

The NBA can fine teams $100,000 for the first offense of the participation policy, barring “rare and unusual circumstances,” with penalties rising thereafter.

Harden, 34, was an All-Star for 14 consecutive seasons until the streak ended in the 2022-23 campaign. He averaged 21 points, a league-high 10.7 assists and 6.1 rebounds in 58 games, all starts, for Philadelphia last season.

–Field Level Media

BUFFALO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Buffalo Bills have lost two of the past three games, so Bills’ players and coaches are eager to right the ship tonight when the club faces the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Upstate New York.

The Bills (4-3) are coming off a low point of the season, last Sunday’s 29-25 loss to the New England Patriots. They trailed most of the game, took a 25-22 lead in the final two minutes and fell behind again when TE Mike Gesicki was on the receiving end of a 1-yard touchdown pass with just 12 seconds left.

Tampa Bay (3-3) is also scuffling, dropping a 16-13 decision to the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday for its third loss in the past four games.

QUICK PICK
Buffalo has fallen a game behind Miami in the AFC East and enters Week 8 seventh in the conference playoff picture. The Bills are 3-0 at Highmark Stadium this year, their lone “home” loss coming against Jacksonville in London.

The line has moved from the Bills -7.5 points to -9.5 at BetMGM, where their spread line has been backed by 64 percent of the money. That’s because the Bucs have scored a combined 19 points in losing their past two games.

Prediction: Bills 28, Buccaneers 17

PROP PICKS
Bills QB Josh Allen Over 1.5 Passing TDs (-145 at DraftKings): This has been the most popular player prop at the book for good reason. Buffalo is relying too heavily on Allen to be the all-everything on offense, which has contributed to seven interceptions through seven games. However, he also has 15 touchdown passes, with multiple TDs in four consecutive games.

Bills TE Dalton Kincaid Over 37.5 Receiving Yards (-125 at BetMGM): With Dawson Knox and Quintin Morris sidelined, Kincaid is going to garner the lion’s share of the tight end snaps, leading to the Over on this prop drawing 99 percent of the money. Kincaid is coming off a season-high eight catches for 75 yards last week. Of note, Knox failed to top 17 receiving yards in each of his past six games, so the tight end has seen sporadic use in Buffalo’s offense this season.

THE NEWS
Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield believes the Buccaneers’ problems are self-inflicted, and it’s up to them to get back on track.

“Looking at the mistakes that we’ve made, it’s things that we can control,” Mayfield said. “For us, it’s control what we can, fix those things and see where this thing can go.”

Mayfield was in the same draft class as Buffalo’s Allen in 2018. Mayfield was taken first overall by the Cleveland Browns before the Bills scooped up Allen with the No. 7 pick.

“Josh is a great guy. Tremendous athlete, great guy. He’s fun to watch,” Mayfield said. “Hopefully not too much fun on Thursday, but yeah, it’s always good to see him.”

INJURY REPORT
Tampa Bay receiver Chris Godwin was limited during Tuesday’s practice due to a neck injury, while Buffalo’s Knox will undergo wrist surgery and is out indefinitely.

“I wish I could tell you,” Bills coach Sean McDermott said of when Knox will be good to return. “Too early right now. The decision was just made to go ahead and get (surgery) done.”

Mayfield (knee) was also limited, while defensive tackle Vita Vea (groin), safety Kaevon Merriweather (ankle) and guard Matt Feiler (knee) missed Tuesday’s session.

Buffalo is missing tight ends Kincaid and Morris, while defensive tackles Ed Oliver (toe) and Jordan Phillips (back) were limited in practice along with linebacker Von Miller (knee).

KEY STAT
The Bills have a total of just 10 first-half points over the past three weeks. McDermott is hoping that trend changes on Thursday.

“We all have to do a better job, myself included,” McDermott said. “It’s putting the players in position (to succeed), then when in position, the players have to make the plays.”

THEY SAID IT
“Over the course of the season, you’re gonna have ebbs and flows, you may have performance lulls. We don’t want that. We want to be as consistent as we possibly can be from one week to the next. …

“We also know that the belief that we have in what we’ve established philosophically, the players that are in that locker room and the coaches that are informing the players, we just believe in each other.” –Bills assistant head coach Eric Washington

–Field Level Media

Archives for October 26, 2023

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It’s “ON” for Buffalo