Happy Friday 👋
The biggest weekend in major team sports has finally arrived. Yesterday marked the first “Sports Equinox” of 2021 with the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL all in action on the same day. It’ll happen again on Sunday. Welcome to sports heaven.
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MLB Taylor's 3-HR Night Keeps Dodgers Alive 
Photo: Rob Leiter / Getty Images Chris Taylor Blasts 3 HRs to Make MLB History as Dodgers Beat Braves (11-2) to Avoid Elimination
The NLCS is going to Game 6! Chris Taylor’s epic postseason continued on Thursday night with a performance for the record books. CT3 (4-for-5) crushed three home runs to become the first player in MLB postseason history with a 3-homer game while facing elimination. He’s also just the 11th player in league history with a triple-homer outing in the playoffs. Taylor’s latest showcase featured six RBIs. He was also the one to push the Dodgers past the Cardinals with a walk-off HR in the wild card game.
Chris Taylor’s 2021 Postseason Batting Avg: .375 | 4 HRs | 12 RBIs
Trea Turner (3-for-4) and A.J. Pollock (3-for-5, HR, 4 RBIs) also came up big in the Dodgers’ Game 5 victory. L.A. had a whopping 17 hits in the rout. The Braves lead the series 3-2, but the Dodgers have the momentum before heading to Atlanta for Game 6 on Saturday (5:00 pm ET).
Watch: Chris Taylor’s 3 Jacks Lead Dodgers Rout in Game 5 (11-2)
Tonight’s Schedule ALCS Gm 6: Red Sox at Astros (8:00 pm ET) (HOU Leads Series 3-2)
Additional Storylines USA Today: Dodgers Live Another Day, Force Game 6 Behind CT3’s 3 Home Runs MLB: October Power Surge: Only 11 Players Have Ever Gone Deep 3 Times in Single Postseason Game
NFL Backup Browns Take Down Denver 
Photo: Gregory Shamus / Getty Images Cleveland def. Denver (17-14) Despite Backfield of Backups
The Thursday Night Football matchup between a pair of 3-3 AFC teams looked bleak for the Browns, but a backfield full of backups got the win. Cleveland was without QB Baker Mayfield and starting running backs Kareem Hunt and Nick Chubb, but QB Case Keenum and RB D’Ernest Johnson carried the load. The Browns took a 17-7 lead into the 4th quarter before holding off the Broncos down the stretch (17-14). The swing-game win gives the Browns life before a mini-bye where Mayfield can potentially return from his shoulder injury next Sunday.
Top Performers QB C. Keenum (CLE): 21/33, 199 yards, 1 TD RB D. Johnson (CLE): 22 carries, 146 yards, 1 TD
Watch: Browns def. Broncos on TNF (17-14)
Additional Storylines CBS Sports: D’Ernest Johnson Lights Up Denver Defense as Banged-Up Cleveland Prevails NFL: What We Learned From Browns’ Win Over Broncos on Thursday Night Football
NBA Vintage Steph Drops 45 
Photo: Thearon W. Henderson / Getty Images Steph Curry Nets 45 Points on Eight 3s as Warriors Start Season 2-0
A triple-header of NBA games took over Thursday night’s action in the Association, and Steph Curry made a statement in Golden State. Curry (45 points) buried eight 3s (8-for-13) before icing the Clippers with a pair of free throws in the finals seconds of the Warriors’ win (115-113). Golden State became the first team to reach 2-0 on Night 3 of the season, and they’re still without injured Klay Thompson, who is expected to return later this year. Curry’s dazzling shooting night was just another reminder that the greatest shooter in NBA history is just 33 years old with plenty left to give.
Watch: Curry Drops 45 as Warriors Beat Clippers (115-113)
Other NBA Highlights
Additional Storylines CBS Sports: NBA Reveals 75th Anniversary Team ESPN: Ben Simmons & 76ers Brass to Meet Friday to Discuss Future in Philadelphia
🎥 THE HIGHLIGHTS 🏒 NHL: McDavid Passes 200 Goals The Edmonton Oilers improved to 4-0 on Thursday with a 5-1 win over the Coyotes thanks to a pair of goals and an assist from Connor McDavid. McDavid passed the 200-goal milestone in the process, and he already has six this season.
⚽️ SOCCER: USWNT Friendly Ends in Scoreless Draw The USWNT played South Korea to a 0-0 draw on Thursday night to end a 22-match win streak in the United States. Carli Lloyd came off the bench in one of her final caps for the USWNT, but it was a disappointing finish.
⛳️ PGA: Matsuyama (-8) Leads ZOZO After Round 1 This weekend’s ZOZO Championship is underway in Japan with the nation’s shining star and reigning Masters champion, Hideki Matsuyama, out in front. Matsuyama fired an 8-under opening-round.
THE STORYLINES 🏈 The Doinks Are Loud, And They Are Plentiful A cacophony of kicking failure has rung through NFL stadiums so far this season… Doinks, ringing out across the league, across America. Yes, the doinks are louder. And more plentiful. As have been the misses. (The Ringer)
🏀 NCAAB Preseason All-American Teams Four players who were named CBS Sports All-Americans last season are back in college this season -- namely Gonzaga's Drew Timme, Illinois' Kofi Cockburn, Oral Roberts' Max Abmas and Michigan's Hunter Dickinson. (CBS Sports)
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo might be on new teams this season, but as they enter the twilights of their otherworldly careers, the aging superstars’ heroics in the Champions League this week show that two of the all-time greats remain difference-makers at the sport’s highest level. (FOX Sports)
📰 THE HEADLINES Erling Haaland Looking for $41 Million per Year to Leave Borussia Dortmund (ESPN)
(Bleacher Report)
Browns QB Baker Mayfield to Undergo Offseason Shoulder Surgery After 2021 Season (CBS Sports)
China Erases Boston Celtics Media After Enes Kanter’s Criticism of Government Repression (Yahoo! Sports)
Members of Congress Push NFL for Emails & Info on Washington Football Team Probe (SI)
🗓️ WEEKEND SCHEDULE The Must-Watch List It’s the weekend of sports! Late October marks the crossover of all major sports in the calendar. Football, baseball, basketball, hockey and soccer take the stage — all at once. We’ll do our best to run it all back on Monday.
MLB Playoffs ALCS Gm 6: Red Sox at Astros (Fri. 8:00 pm) *NLCS Gm 6: Dodgers at Braves (Sat. 5:00 pm) *ALCS Gm 7: Red Sox at Astros (Sat. 8:00 pm) *NLCS Gm 7: Dodgers at Braves (Sun. 7:30 pm)
NFL Week 7 (Sunday) Chiefs at Titans (1:00 pm) Bengals at Ravens (1:00 pm) Bears at Bucs (4:25 pm) Colts at 49ers (8:20 pm)
College Football (Saturday) #2 Cincinnati at Navy (12:00 pm) #3 Oklahoma at Kansas (12:00 pm) Northwestern at #6 Michigan (12:00 pm) #8 Oklahoma State at Iowa State (3:30 pm) #10 Oregon at UCLA (3:30 pm) Tennessee at #4 Alabama (7:00 pm) USC at #13 Notre Dame (7:30 pm) Full College Football Schedule
Soccer SPA: Barcelona vs. Real Madrid (Sun. 10:15 am) EPL: Man. United vs. Liverpool (Sun. 11:30 am)
NASCAR Playoffs Texas Motor Speedway (Sun. 2:00 pm)
*All Times Eastern
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