Astros, Braves Face Off in World Series Game 1
All right, I should start by apologizing for recommending people watch the Seahawks vs. Saints game last night … it was far from a masterpiece. If you watched, I hope you at least tuned in for Marshawn Lynch’s appearance on the “ManningCast”, which was highly entertaining. Tonight marks the beginning of the World Series, as well as Carli Lloyd’s final game in a USWNT kit. Plus, some fun early-season NBA action featuring some big stars and bigger personalities.
Here’s what I’m watching today.
MUST WATCH
Atlanta Braves at Houston Astros
So much of the dialogue around this World Series will be spent relitigating the Astros’ cheating past. That’s unfortunate, given how many amazing stories there are about these two teams. There’s Astros manager Dusty Baker, who our Tom Verducci referred to as “the Forrest Gump of modern baseball” in a feature that details his journey from a conversation with Henry Aaron in the days after being drafted to playing the right cards as the sport’s elder statesman, bringing Houston back to the World Series.
And, there’s certainly no shortage of stories to tell about the Braves, whose rise from a sub-.500 club at the trade deadline to the NL pennant has been marked by more defensive shifts, a lefty recovering from the yips and an unmistakable pearl necklace.
Veteran Charlie Morton will take the ball in Game 1 for the Braves, while Houston will counter with lefty Framber Valdez, whose dominant outing in Game 5 of the ALCS swung the series in the Astros’ favor.
8:09 p.m. ET, Fox, watch on fuboTV
READ MORE:
- Dusty Baker's Time Is Now (Tom Verducci)
- Braves' Brian Snitker: Old-school, no analytics and winning (Chris Ballard)
- Tyler Matzek's Improbable Journey to Immortality in Atlanta (Stephanie Apstein)
- How One Conversation Shifted Atlanta's Season (Emma Baccellieri)
LINEUP
- South Korea at USA | The storied career of Carli Lloyd with the USWNT comes to an end tonight in a friendly against South Korea. Lloyd, 39, is going out on her own terms, and her contributions to the team lately (headlined by five goals vs Paraguay in September) prove that. It should be an emotional night in Minnesota. 8 p.m. ET, FS1, watch on fuboTV
- Philadelphia 76ers at New York Knicks | It feels like every Knicks game at MSG these days is a must-watch thanks to the potential fan reactions. Beyond those, this should prove to be a good litmus test for two potential playoff teams in the Eastern Conference and a fun frontcourt battle between Julius Randle and Joel Embiid. 7:30 p.m. ET, TNT
- Carabao Cup: Southampton at Chelsea | These two squads played a highly entertaining match earlier this month in the Premier League, with Chelsea needing two late strikes after a red card for James Ward-Prowse to get three points. This cup match could be a fun way to spend the afternoon. 2:45 p.m. ET, ESPN+
- Seattle Sounders at LAFC | The Sounders haven’t won in three matches but still sit atop the Western Conference as the season heads into the stretch run. A road tilt in Los Angeles should be a solid test as Seattle tries to hold onto the top spot. 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, watch on fuboTV
HIDDEN GEM
Houston Rockets at Dallas Mavericks
Jalen Green’s athleticism even wows his coaches. The No. 2 overall pick in this summer’s NBA draft had a quiet first two games before exploding for 30 points on 8–10 from three against the Celtics on Sunday. When at his best, Green is already one of the most exciting players in the sport to watch, and he’s a big reason why the Rockets are optimistic about the future. This in-state rivalry game gives you the chance to see Green as well as Luka Dončić, who’s always an entertaining watch. The Mavs have had an uneven start to the Jason Kidd era on the offensive end, so that’s worth monitoring.
8:30 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet Southwest/Bally Sports SW, watch on fuboTV
Think we missed something worth watching? Reply to guide@si.com and let us know what we should be looking out for and why.
Happy streaming!
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