Portland Trailblazers head coach Chauncey Billups was one of 32 arrested on Illegal gambling charges in Portland on Wed Oct 23, 2025 (AP News photo)
That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Illegal gambling bust rocks NBA World
Illegal Gambling Bust Rocks NBA World
That’s Amaury News and Commentary
By Amaury Pi-González
An FBI probe into mafia-linked gambling and sports rigging schemes led to the arrests of Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups, as well as former NBA player Damon Jones.
According to the NBA, the current players have been placed on leave. An arrest and investigation like this takes months to put together; stuff like this doesn’t happen and come out in a few days.
It would be interesting to see what further revelations from all parties, including players, attorneys, and NBA representatives, emerge in the near future.
Among the many sources reporting early on this story, originally reported by the FBI, which is conducting the investigation, is NBC Sports, which reported that the betting scandal could involve NBA megastar LeBron James. The FBI secured more than 30 indictments tied to alleged illegal gambling scandals, including three former and current prominent NBA figures.
This is not good for the NBA, which just began its 2025-26 season on October 21, as NBC and Peacock televised a doubleheader broadcast featuring the Houston Rockets and the Oklahoma Thunder, followed by the Golden State Warriors at the Los Angeles Lakers.
More news on this should be coming soon.
Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of fame.
While in the Bay Area, great food and great prices. 998cuba.com
The New York Rangers Will Cullye (left) and the San Jose Sharks Macklin Celebrini (right) jockey for position in first period action at Madison Square Garden in New York on Thu Oct 23, 2025 (AP News photo)
By Jessica Kwong
NEW YORK, NY. — The San Jose Sharks (1-4-2) captured their first victory of the season, 6-5 in overtime, against the New York Rangers (3-4-2) on a thrilling Thursday night at “The World’s Most Famous Arena”.
It was an especially special night at Madison Square Garden for Sharks center Macklin Celebrini, who got a hat trick.
“MSG, it’s a pretty cool rink, we only get to come here once a year and it was great to get the first one,” he said.
The Sharks entered the famed arena with great expectations and pressure to earn their first win, and it was a relief for the team to get the job done.
“Obviously it’s nice to get the result and that’s the biggest thing,” said Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky.
“Again we’re playing some pretty good hockey, you know, we were going toe-to-toe with one of the better teams in the league and cred to the group. You know, we just kept playing an d even the last week here with the losses, the guys show up with great attitudes, they’re coachable, they’re working hard to get better individually and collectively.”
Sharks right wing Adam Gaudette made a snap shot assisted by right wing Collin Graf and center Michael Misa at 1:58 into the first period, putting San Jose up 1-0. Then Celebrini made a power play goal at 6:17 assisted by left wing William Eklund and defenseman Dmitry Orlov to boost the lead to 2-0.
The Rangers fought back and right wing Taylor Raddysh made a wrist shot at 14:19 assisted by right wing Sam Carrick and defenseman Carson Soucy to cut the Sharks’ lead to 2-1.
But Celebrini struck again with nine seconds left in the period, making a wrist shot assisted by center Will Smith and Eklund to expand San Jose’s lead to 3-1.
In the second period, center Mika Zibanejad made a power play goal assisted by left wing Alexis Lafrenière and center J.T. Miller at 4:04 to put the Rangers within one. Center Juuso Parssinen made a wrist shot assisted by left wing Conor Sheary at 6:47 to tie the game at 3-3. Then Raddysh made an unassisted shorthanded goal at 12:10 to give the Rangers their first lead of the game.
The Sharks avoided a scoreless period as Celebrini made a wrist shot assisted by Smith and Orlov with six seconds left to tie it at 4-4, and earned his third goal of the game.
Celebrini said of the pass from Smith: “I mean, I think that’s what he does best, he’s a pretty special player and I think you’ve seen him before the kind of plays he’s able to make. I was just on the receiving end on a couple of those.”
In the third period, Smith made a wrist shot assisted by Eklund and Celebrini at 6:31 to allow the Sharks to retake a 5-4 lead.
Raddysh answered back with a slap shot assisted by Miller and defenseman Adam Fox at 11:50 to tie it at 5-5.
The game went into overtime – and crunch time for the Sharks. Smith made a slap shot assisted by Celebrini and goalie Alex Nedeljkovic at 1:38 to lead San Jose to their much-needed first win.
Smith said of the goal: “Yeah it was all back I think, made a great play there around the corner and stripped again and found the slot.”
He added that it “feels good”.
“It has been a tough six games where we could have had a couple of W’s,” he said, “But everything happens for a reason.”
The Sharks (1-4-2) continue their road trip against the New Jersey Devils who are on a six-game winning streak (6-1-0) at Prudential Center on Friday. The puck drops at 4 p.m. PT.
Cal Bears running back Kendrick Raphael takes the ball over the goal line for a touchdown against the UNC Tar Heels on Fri Oct 17, 2025 at Memorial Stadium in Berkeley (East Bay Times photo)
Cal Bears podcast Morris Phillips:
#1 How will Cal’s (5-2) offense — led by Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele — fare against Virginia Tech’s (2-6) defense, especially given his freshman status and the expectation on him?
#2 Will Kendrick Raphael’s rushing attack be able to make a difference and relieve pressure from the passing game?
#3 How significant will the role of Jacob De Jesus, Mason Mini and Trond Grizzell be in Cal’s passing/receiving game plan?
#4 Can Cal’s defense hold up against Virginia Tech’s offense — especially in key situations like third downs or the red zone?
#5 What impact might turnovers or special teams play have on the outcome of the game (for example, Cal’s return game via De Jesus, or Cal’s ability to force/exploit turnovers)?
Stanford Cardinal safety Scotty Edwards (21) shares congratulations with teammate inside linebacker Jahsiah Galvan (0) against Florida State at Stanford Stadium on Sat Oct 18, 2025 (Stanford Cardinal photo)
Stanford Cardinal podcast Michael Roberson:
#1 How will Stanford Cardinal quarterback Ben Gulbranson and wide receivers CJ Williams and Bryce Farrell try to breakthrough Miami’s tough defense that’s one of the FBS’ best?
#2 Stanford running back Micah Ford is their best running back this season will Ford’s ability and the Cardinal ground will be able to keep up with Miami’s high-powered defense?
#3 Miami’s defense is holding their opponents to 15.3 points per game and has been able to defend the run—Can Stanford counter the Miami defense and find any weaknesses against them?
#4 Offensively the Cardinal are averaging 326.3 yards per game 115 in the FBS. The Hurricanes defense had given up an average of 291.5 yards per game 15th in the FBS. Can you see any changes that Stanford needs to make to stay competitive.
#5 The Cardinal have had troubles trying to convert third downs to first downs with a low 33.7% and Miami has been able to get red zone and third down defensive success will head coach Frank Reich be able to counter that?
Keon Ellis #23 of the Sacramento Kings looks on during the game against the Phoenix Suns on October 22, 2025 at PHX Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. (Mandatory Photo Credit: Kate Frese/NBAE via Getty Images)
By Jeremiah Salmonson
DOWNTOWN PHOENIX — The Sacramento Kings shocked the city of Sacramento on Wednesday night in the Valley of the Sun as they led 71-54 at halftime. However, it was short-lived, as a disastrous third quarter proved costly, and the Kings fell to the Phoenix Suns 120-116.
The Kings showed growing pains early in the game as they committed five turnovers in the first five minutes. Yet, they still managed to take a 29-19 lead in the first quarter of action. The Kings played with high energy, and the Suns weren’t shooting the ball well as Sacramento built a double-digit lead.
In the second quarter, the Kings continued to put pressure on the Suns as they extended their lead to 71-54. The Kings outscored the Suns 42-35 in the second quarter as they shot the lights out and got contributions up and down the lineup. Zach LaVine led Sacramento in the first half with 22 points on 9-of-13 shooting. DeMar DeRozan and Malik Monk added 14 and 13 points, respectively. The Kings held the Suns to just 39% shooting in the first half, which was the primary contributor to their early success.
It was the third quarter—similar to years past—that proved costly for the Kings. Sacramento was outscored 36-21 in the period and let its nearly 20-point lead slip away. The Kings’ most glaring disadvantage in the third was the 24-8 discrepancy on points in the paint. By the end of the quarter, their lead had all but vanished, as they were up just 92-90 heading into the final frame.
In the fourth, the Kings battled but ultimately couldn’t overcome their poor rebounding as the Suns hammered the glass. Sacramento was outrebounded 51-37 as they struggled with some lineups to match Phoenix’s size. Dylan Cardwell, Drew Eubanks, and Maxime Raynaud combined for only nine total rebounds in the game. The Suns outscored the Kings 30-24 in the fourth quarter to seize the 120-116 victory at Mortgage Matchup Center. LaVine led the Kings with 30 points, while DeRozan finished with 29 points and nine assists. The Kings shot 50% (47-for-94) from the field but turned the ball over 13 times, leading to 19 Phoenix points.
“We’ve got to find a way to box out, make sure that we’re rebounding the basketball—just the fundamental, simple things that we talk about,” Kings head coach Doug Christie said after the game. “Scoring the basketball, we can obviously do that, but defense is where everything is going to happen.”
Malik Monk shared similar sentiments after the game.
“The second half, we just did what we did last year, started off sloppy in the third quarter and let them back in it and had to fight back,” Monk said. “So yeah, it’s easy fixes though. It’s all on us.”
The offense for the Kings seemed to stagnate in the second half, something that has been common in recent years. Monk attributed that to the Suns having their way with the tempo on the court.
“They just sped us up a little bit more in the second half, and we can’t fall into that,” Monk said. “When they sped us up, I think we started settling a little too much instead of moving the ball like we did in the first half.”
Aside from the issues on the offensive side, Christie made some interesting decisions on who played heavier minutes at the end of the game. Keon Ellis only played three minutes in the fourth quarter, and Dylan Cardwell logged significant minutes while the Kings were struggling to stay in it.
On Ellis, I asked Doug how he felt Keon played and about the situation he found himself in.
“Keon is the ultimate professional, and he is always ready to play,” Doug said after the game. “In these situations, we have a logjam, so it’s going to come down to who’s playing. But with his aggressiveness, his ability to knock down shots, and his defensive ability, he’s going to be on the floor.”
I’m not sure the fan base will be happy with that answer when Russell Westbrook and Dylan Cardwell both had more minutes than Ellis. However, it will have to do for now.
On the Cardwell front, Doug was hoping to get rebounding from the rookie, but in his NBA debut, Cardwell secured just one board.
“One of his things is that he can go get rebounds,” Doug said to me after the game. “He didn’t do it tonight as he normally does, but he was in there fighting, and his physicality and things like that are what we absolutely love.”
Doug Christie has a nearly impossible job. He has to make this roster of rookies, established vets, and future Hall of Famers all work together while undersized and injured. I don’t envy his position, and it behooves the fan base to give him a few weeks to figure it out until Domas comes back. However, the lack of Keon Ellis minutes is a tale as old as the Mike Brown era. I’m not sure what to make of that at this point.
Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.
⚡Craft cocktails? Check. 🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah. 🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.
Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.
Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.
📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street
Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm
Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in.
Phoenix Suns Devin Booker was hit in the face but scored 31 points to help lead the Suns to a opening night win over the Sacramento Kings at Footprint Center in Phoenix on Wed Oct 22, 2025 (AP News photo)
By Barbara Mason
After an amazing first half for the Sacramento Kings in their first game of the season, they just could not sustain that effort falling apart in the second half losing to the Phoenix Suns 120-116. Despite the loss the Kings showed a mountain of promise in this game.
Zach LaVine had the high for the Kings with 30 points. DeMar DeRozan was right behind him with 29 points. Malik Monk had 19 off the bench. Shooting 57% from the line was the difference in this game.
The 2025-26 NBA season got underway for the Sacramento Kings Wednesday night. They traveled to Phoenix for a date with the Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center. The Kings will get a look at their newest acquisition Russell Westbrook and his amazing quickness and speed which defies his age and welcome Monk and DeRozan back on the court. Domantas Sabonis is projected to return to play on October 26th.
The strong start in this game that the Kings were looking for came to be when the Kings came from behind in the first quarter going on a 7-0 run to take a 25-18 lead with 1:20 left in the opening quarter.
The quarter came to an end with the Kings leading 29-19 and Sacramento had some great momentum on their side.DeRozan and Zach LaVine were doing much of the heaving lifting in the opening quarter and Monk already had seven points off the bench.
The Kings took the energy they had in the first quarter into the second quarter with shots from DeRozan and a three from Keon Ellis pushing the Kings lead to 37-21 a couple of minutes into the quarter.
The perfect start was amazing but there was still a lot of game still left in this season opener. So far in the game the Kings were shooting at over 58% to the Suns 32%. The Suns were 0 for 9 so far in the game from beyond the arc.
Sacramento already had seven turnovers in the game one of the areas they continue to struggle in. As the quarter wore on the Suns threatened, erasing the Kings 18 point lead pulling to within eleven points 51-40.
The Kings refused to cave pushing their lead back out to 59-40. As the first half came to an end, the Kings had a 71-54 lead outscoring the Sun 42-35 in the second quarter.
Sacramento’s Zach LaVine was on fire in the first half finishing with 22 points in an explosive display. DeRozan had 14 points and Monk had 13 off the bench. The Sun’s Devin Booker had 14 points and Dillon Brooks with 11 points.
Sacramento had to keep the pressure on in the second half knowing that the Sun’s would come out in the second half with a new purpose. Phoenix would be looking to turn their long game on only hitting three in the first half, and not a single three in the first quarter.
The Sun’s made a move in the third quarter cutting the Kings lead to 12 points 82-70 with 6:51 left in the quarter. The Kings could not afford to take their foot off the gas and let the Sun into this game. With five minutes left on the clock in the quarter, the Suns had pulled to within seven points 84-77 prompting a Sacramento time-out.
With the Suns coming back, the crowd got crazy loud and the Kings were finding themselves in some real trouble. The Suns were taking this game to the next level making some adjustments over their first half play.
Phoenix was outplaying the Kings in the quarter crushing them 36-21. The 20 point lead that the Kings had taken had dwindled to two points 92-90 going into the fourth quarter. It was a new ball game and it was the Phoenix Suns with all the momentum.
At 10:27 in the fourth quarter the Suns took the lead 96-94 and they never looked back. The Kings offense was coming apart at the seams as the Suns continued to push their lead 101-94. Phoenix was ice cold in the first half but they turned it completely around in the second.
The Kings were struggling to make baskets in the second half in a total collapse. With three minutes left in this game it was a one possession game with the Sun leading 108-106. WIth 1:03 left on the clock this game was tied at 110. The final was 120-116.
The promising start in this game for the Kings ended in a brutal loss due to a real let-down in the second half. They let the Suns back in the game and along with it the fans who had Footprint Center rocking.
The Kings had proven their capability in this game but they needed consistency to go along with it. It was a disappointing loss but at the same time the Kings showed a lot of promise and with the return of Sabonis on the horizon this team will be ok going forward.
The Kings only shot 57 % from the line and that was the difference in this game along with the rebounding. This was a huge disappointment for Sacramento unable to sustain their first half effort.
Friday night the Kings will take on the Utah Jazz at Golden 1 Center. Tipoff for this game is scheduled for 7:00 PM.
Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.
⚡Craft cocktails? Check. 🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah. 🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.
Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.
Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.
📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street
Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm
Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in.
Los Angeles Dodgers Shohei Ohtani hits one of his three home runs in the bottom of the fourth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers in game 4 of the NLCS at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Fri Oct 17, 2025 (AP News photo)
2025 World Series podcast Jessica Kwong:
#1 In the post season pitcher Shohei Ohtani showed why he’s a repeat MVP in the game. In game five of the NLCS with Ohtani’s Dodgers leading in the series 3-0 against the Milwaukee Brewers in game four Ohtani was a one man wrecking crew with three home runs and striking out ten batters catapulting the Dodgers into the 2025 World Series.
#2 The last time the Toronto Blue Jays were in the World Series was going back to 1993 and they won that one when Joe Carter hit a walk off home run in the game 7 of the series against the Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Mitch Williams. This time it’s another big one for the Jays and Canada as they hope to upset the Dodgers for all the marbles.
#3 The Dodgers have a shot at winning back to back World Series having done it last season. Talk about the pressures of trying to repeat as defending MLB champions?
#4 How balanced to do you see this series with the Jays having home field advantage in games one and two and if necessary games six and seven despite the Dodgers being heavy favorites?
#5 It’s been decades since the Jays have been in the World Series and the Dodgers have been in recent years. Does being in the World Series recently outweigh the Jays not being there in decades or the Jays having home field throughout the series give them an upperhand?
Coachella Valley Firebirds forward Osacar Fisker Molgarrd celebrates his first period goal against the San Jose Barracuda at Tech CU Arena on Wednesday OCT 22, 2025. (San Jose Barracuda)
by Marko Ukalovic
SAN JOSE — The Coachella Valley Firebirds scored five unanswered goals during a late second period blitz for a 6-3 come from behind victory over the San Jose Barracuda on Wednesday evening at Tech CU Arena.
San Jose has dropped two games in a row. Coachella Valley won for the first time this season.
Coachella Valley (1-2-1) drew first blood at the halfway mark of the first period with a power play goal. Logan Morrison found Oscar Fisker Molgaard who outwaited Cuda goalie Jakub Skarek before ripping a wrist shot to the far side of the net for his first goal of the season at the 10:29 mark.
San Jose (1-2-0) had two power play opportunities in the opening 20 minutes but failed to cash in on both chances. Firebirds goalie Nikke Kokko helped keep the Cuda off of the scoreboard as he made 11 saves.
The Barracuda evened the game early in the second period with an even strength goal. Cole Clayton sent a pass behind the Firebirds out to Anthony Vincent along the goal line. Vincent looked up and fired a quick shot on the net that deflected off of Kokko for his first goal of the season at the 4:33 mark. Zack Ostapchuk recorded the secondary assist.
San Jose gained it first lead with a pretty tick-tac-toe of a goal near the halfway mark of the middle frame. Colin White’s back pass found Cam Lund at the top of the faceoff circle. Lund gave it up to Lucas Carlsson in the right slot and the right-handed defenseman beat Kokko with a wrist shot for his first goal of the season at the 8:56 mark.
The Cuda scored its third unanswered goal on the power play just under two minutes later. Filip Bystedt found his linemate Kasper Halttunen wide open in the slot and Finnish winger blasted a one-timer past Kokko for his first goal of the season at the 10:51 mark. White picked up his second helper of the game with the secondary assist.
The Firebirds cut their deficit to a one goal thanks to a failed clearance by the Barracuda. Morrison scored his first goal of the season 51 seconds later. David Goyette and Jagger Firkus recorded assists on the play.
Coachella Valley scored the equalizer at the 14:24 mark when Carson Rehkopf circled out from behind the Cuda net and found Mitchell Stephens alone in the slot and Stephens buried a one-timer past Skarek for his first goal of the season.
Firkus regained the lead for the Firebirds exactly a minute later when after a faceoff inside the Cuda zone, Firkus marched in all alone on Skarek and beat him to the near side for his first goal of the season and Coachella Valley’s third unanswered at the 15:24 mark.
Kaden Hammell gave the Firebirds an insurance goal at the halfway mark of the third period. Hammell collected the puck near the red line, made a move around a Cuda defender along the right boards before skating in and beating Skarek through the five-hole for his first goal of the season at the 10:28 mark.
Morrison scored his second goal of the game with an empty netter with 44 seconds remaining in the game to close out the scoring.
Kokko finished the game stopping 24 of the 27 shots he faced in earning his first win of the season. Skarek made 28 saves on 33 shots in the losing effort.
GAME NOTES: San Jose finished 1-for-5 on the power play. Coachella Valley was 1-for-7.
UP NEXT: San Jose continues its three-game homestand with a weekend series with the Milwaukee Admirals on Friday October 24th at 7:00pm at Tech CU Arena.
San Jose Sharks take practice at the Sky Rink at Chelsea Piers in New York. The Sharks take on the New York Rangers Thu Oct 23, 2025 at Madison Square Garden (photo by Jessica Kwong)
By Jessica Kwong
NEW YORK, NY. — Following their 4-3 loss to the New York Islanders, the San Jose Sharks had a practice on Wednesday afternoon at Sky Rink at Chelsea Piers in New York City with select players and a couple of assistant coaches.
The Sharks (0-4-2) are still seeking their first win of the season, and aiming to notch it against the New York Rangers (3-4-1) at Madison Square Garden on Thursday night.
Among the players who went to the practice at the scenic rink overlooking the Hudson River was Michael Misa, the 18-year-old second-overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. Misa said he has been working on puck protection, moving his feet quickly, trying to get around defenders, shooting and faceoffs.
“I feel like I have the speed to play, like I feel like I look comfortable out there, it’s just a matter of getting the puck on my stick and making plays… I’m feeling better each game,” he said.
“When I use my body in the corners, projected the puck and stuff, I think yeah I’ve been making some good plays and you know our line was plugged in for the most part in the last game so just going to try to build off of that.”
The players took in and appreciated the experience of practicing at Sky Rink.
“It’s actually a pretty cool rink, like the view behind it is pretty cool with some boats out there on the harbor. But yeah, it’s always cool if you can get that minor hockey rink kind of feeling again,” said Misa.
Defenseman Sam Dickinson echoed that sentiment.
“First time walking into a rink like this, I think when we pull off the bus, right away, we’re on the harbor and looking at boats on the water and it doesn’t really make sense for a rink to be there but you know it’s a pretty cool,” he said.
With the rest of Thursday off before back-to-back games against the Rangers and the New Jersey Devils, some of the players made plans to explore and enjoy the Big Apple.
It was the first time in New York City for both Dickinson and Misa.
“I think today would be a good day to kind of go to the city a little bit,” said Misa, who didn’t have any particular places or restaurants on his list.
“I’m just going to maybe grab a couple of the guys and figure it out.”
Dickinson said some spots he plans to hit are Times Square and the Empire State Building.
“This is my first time, so I guess today is my time for exploring,” he said.
The Sharks face the Rangers at 4 p.m. PT on Thursday at MSG.
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones (15) can’t get a pass off as the Atlanta Falcons Leonard Floyd puts the pressure on Jones in the second quarter at Levi Stadium in Santa Clara on Sun Oct 19, 2025 (AP News photo)
San Francisco 49ers podcast David Zizmor:
#1 How did San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey’s performance—129 rushing yards and 201 yards from scrimmage—change the offensive dynamic for the 49ers and what does that suggest about their run game moving forward?
#2 Dave, talk about the job quarterback Mac Jones who threw for 17-26 for 152 yards, no touchdown passes and one interception to help the 49ers with a 20-10 win on Sunday Night Football?
#3 The 49ers head to Houston to take on the Texans (2-4) on Sun Oct 26th with a 10:00AM PT. The Texans were beat on Monday Night Football 27-19 by the Seattle Seahawks. Texans quarterback CJ Stroud struggled under center throwing 23-49, 229 yards and one pick. Talk about how you see this match up Sunday with the Niners and Texans.
Sports Radio Service 