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Fewer home inspections in seller’s market  The Capitol Pressroom

DEAR MISS MANNERS: Two years ago, a friend and I met for lunch and to celebrate our birthdays.

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She presented me with a card that featured a stylized drawing of a breed of dog that we both are fond of. As she gave me the card, she noted that she had to really debate whether she wanted to give it to me, as she liked it so much.

I allowed that it was a nice card, but if she really wanted it, she could keep it. She refused the offer, so I kept the card safe, thinking that I would frame it for her and she could have it back.

When we met for our next birthday lunch, I reminded her of the card and how she had been reticent to give it to me. I said that I had kept it safe, then presented her with the picture. Initially, she was pleased, but by the end of the meal she was complaining that she had no place to put it on a table at her home. I pointed out that she could hang it up, and she grumbled there was no free wall space, but she did take the picture with her.

Fast-forward to this year, when I received a package from her and inside was that same framed picture as a birthday present. I found it irksome. If she had not wanted it, she could have just given it to a charity.

GENTLE READER: Unfortunate as this is for your friendship, it is fascinating to Miss Manners as an illustration of etiquette’s subtext.

On the surface, your behavior was reasonable and considerate. Your friend admitted to wanting the card, so you tried to give it back to her. Twice.

But presents (unless they are merely plucked from the recipient’s wish list) are loaded with symbolic meaning: “I know you, I understand you, and I want to please you.”

To return a present to its donor is therefore to respond with, “Well, you failed.” (Therefore, discretion is required in disposing of what is unwanted — which is fine to do, as long as the giver doesn’t know.)

You should undo that unintended message by telling her how much you value the card and didn’t really want to let it go, except that you value the friendship more. And send her a different birthday present reflecting another interest of hers.

DEAR MISS MANNERS: What is the etiquette for who cooks the turkey for Thanksgiving dinner?

We have family members who requested that our daughter cook and bring the turkey — after she makes a 12-hour drive with two toddlers and her husband.

GENTLE READER: Whoops, etiquette does not have a rule designating the turkey cook.

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Should it be the person who is closest to the oven? The one who does it best? The one who didn’t do it last year? The one who actually volunteers?

Miss Manners can think of exceptions that should be made to any of these. So it is fortunate that the matter can be settled by manners principles, of which there are a good supply.

For example, consideration of others. A smidgeon of that might suggest that an all-day drive in a crowded car with toddlers isn’t good for a turkey, let alone the passengers.

Please send your questions to Miss Manners at her website, www.missmanners.com; to her email, gentlereader@missmanners.com; or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.

Today is Tuesday, Nov. 4, the 308th day of 2025. There are 57 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Nov. 4, 2008, Democratic Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois was elected the first Black president of the United States, defeating the Republican candidate, Sen. John McCain of Arizona.

Also on this date:

In 1922, the entrance to King Tutankhamen’s tomb was discovered in Egypt.

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In 1979, the Iran hostage crisis began as militant students stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, seizing its occupants; 52 of the hostages were held for 444 days and were released on Jan. 20, 1981.

In 1980, Republican Ronald Reagan won election to the White House for the first time as he trounced Democratic President Jimmy Carter.

In 1991, Ronald Reagan opened his presidential library in Simi Valley, California; attending were President George H.W. Bush and former Presidents Jimmy Carter, Gerald R. Ford and Richard Nixon — the first-ever gathering of five past and present U.S. chief executives.

In 1995, Yitzhak Rabin, prime minister of Israel, was assassinated by a right-wing Israeli minutes after attending a peace rally.

In 2007, King Tutankhamen’s face was unveiled for the first time to the public more than 3,000 years after the pharaoh was buried in his Egyptian tomb.

In 2016, the Paris climate accord, reached the previous year, took effect; the first global pact to fight climate change called on the world to collectively cut and then eliminate greenhouse gas pollution but imposed no sanctions on countries that didn’t.

Today’s Birthdays:

• Blues musician Delbert McClinton is 86.
• Former first lady Laura Bush is 79.
• Author Charles Frazier is 75.
• Actor Ralph Macchio is 64.
• “Survivor” host Jeff Probst is 64.
• Actor Matthew McConaughey is 56.
• TV personality and entrepreneur Bethenny Frankel is 55.
• Jazz musician Gregory Porter is 54.
• Football Hall of Famer Orlando Pace is 50.
• Football Hall of Hamer Devin Hester is 43.

By STEVE PEOPLES and WILL WEISSERT, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Tuesday marks the nation’s first major Election Day since President Donald Trump returned to the White House, and his leadership and policies dominated the debate in almost every race — even though the Republican was absent from the campaign trail.

The biggest contests are in Virginia and New Jersey, the only states electing governors this year. Trump lost both last fall, but voters in each have a history of electing Republicans for statewide office. The GOP candidates have closely aligned themselves with the president, betting that his big win last year can still provide a path to victory this time, even if the party occupying the White House typically suffers in off-year elections.

Strong Democratic showings, meanwhile, could provide the party a pathway back to national relevance — even if its top candidates have taken very different approaches, from adhering to a moderate line to wholeheartedly embracing government spending to improve voters’ lives.

In New York City, a self-described democratic socialist who already has been a target of Trump’s criticism could emerge as a national star if elected mayor. And California voters will decide whether to redraw the state’s House map, as Democrats look to counter a push by Trump to reshape the balance of congressional power.

Here’s what to watch:

A referendum on Trump

The president did not set foot in either Virginia or New Jersey to campaign with Republican gubernatorial candidates Winsome Earle-Sears or Jack Ciattarelli, but both contests will likely be viewed as a referendum on Trump’s job so far.

Over the last year, his tariffs rocked the global economy, his “big, beautiful” budget bill threatened rural hospitals and health insurance coverage for millions, he enacted massive cuts to the federal workforce and he sent the National Guard to multiple American cities.

This combination photo shows candidates for governor of New Jersey Republican Jack Ciattarelli, left, and Democrat Mikie Sherrill during the final debate in governors race, Oct. 8, 2025, in New Brunswick, N.J. (AP Photos/Heather Khalifa)

The president endorsed Ciattarelli in New Jersey’s governor’s race, but held only a pair of tele-town halls on his behalf, including one Monday night. Trump also did an Election Night eve tele-town hall for Virginia Republican candidates, but he did not mention Earle-Sears, speaking mostly in favor of the GOP candidate for attorney general. Earlier in the campaign, Trump gave Earle-Sears only a half-hearted endorsement, saying he supported the GOP candidate for governor though he did not use her name. Earle-Sears was nonetheless a fierce defender of Trump and his policies, just as Ciattarelli was in New Jersey.

Despite Trump’s distance, a good night for Republicans would almost certainly be viewed as a political victory for Trump and his “Make America Great Again” policies. A bad night for the GOP would give Democrats a strong — though perhaps fleeting — start heading into midterms that are still a year away.

A new Democratic playbook?

Tuesday offers a test of two very different Democratic philosophies on display from candidates: toeing a moderate line or fully embracing far-left progressivism. But it also presents a scenario where both, or neither, could be successful — making drawing conclusions going forward more difficult.

The party’s candidates for governor, New Jersey Rep. Mikie Sherrill and former Rep. Abigail Spanberger of Virginia, have focused largely on the economy, public safety and health care, distancing themselves from some of the Democratic Party’s far-left policies.

A growing collection of Democratic leaders believe the moderate approach holds the key to the party’s revival after the GOP won the White House and both congressional chambers last year. Tuesday could be a key indicator of whether they’re right.

Both Sherrill and Spanberger have downplayed their support for progressive priorities, including LGBTQ rights and resistance against Trump’s attack on American institutions. Spanberger rarely even mentions Trump’s name on the campaign trail.

Both also have resumes that might appeal to the middle.

Sherrill spent a decade as an active-duty helicopter pilot for the Navy before entering Congress, while Spanberger is a former CIA case officer who spent years abroad working undercover. They have played up their public safety backgrounds as a direct response to the GOP’s attack that Democrats are soft on crime.

Above all, the Democrats have focused on rising costs such as groceries, energy and health care, which Trump has struggled to control.

A new star for Democrats (and Republicans) in New York City

That approach is far different from New York City’s mayoral race, where progressives are energized by Zohran Mamdani, a 34-year-old Muslim state legislator who identifies as a democratic socialist and backs radical changes to address economic inequality.

FILE – New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani speaks during a rally, Oct. 26, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa, File)

His bold agenda and inspirational approach have attracted thousands of volunteers in New York and brought the likes of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to campaign on his behalf. It has also spooked some business leaders and voices in the Jewish community, who otherwise support Democrats but oppose some of Mamdani’s past statements about personal wealth accumulation and Israel.

Mamdani has been locked in a caustic race against former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is running as an independent after losing the Democratic primary to Mamdani. Republican Curtis Sliwa is looking for a huge upset.

And while many progressives are thrilled, some Republicans in Washington are also quietly rooting for a Mamdani victory. Republican campaign committees have already launched attack ads against more than a dozen vulnerable House Democrats in New York and New Jersey linking them to Mamdani and his far-left politics.

New York City mayoral candidate Andrew Cuomo speaks to a crowd of reporters and pedestrians while campaigning in New York, Monday, Nov. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Trump endorsed Cuomo, posting online Monday evening: “Whether you personally like Andrew Cuomo or not, you really have no choice. You must vote for him, and hope he does a fantastic job. He is capable of it, Mamdani is not!”

That’s after Trump derided Mamdani nearly every day. GOP operatives are also giddy about the opportunity to use him to attack many more Democrats closer to next year’s midterm elections — just as they have done with progressive Democrats such as House “squad” members like Ocasio-Cortez and Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar.

The shutdown effect

Election Day comes in the midst of a federal government shutdown that has already spanned more than a month. Both parties in Congress blame each other, and there is no end in sight.

Will it matter?

Virginia is home to more than 134,000 federal workers, many of whom have been furloughed or are being forced to work without pay. New Jersey has nearly 21,000 federal employees, according to the nonprofit Partnership for Public Service, out of a total of more than 2 million such government employees nationwide.

Either number is more than enough to swing a close election.

At the same time, millions of people may be losing critical food assistance from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, offering voters another urgent reason to express their displeasure.

Polling shows that Republicans, who control Congress and the White House, are getting slightly more blame than Democrats — though there is plenty of frustration aimed at both sides.

Trump has taken the extraordinary step of calling on the Senate to scrap filibuster rules requiring a 60-vote minimum on major legislation to try and force the government to reopen — even though his party’s leadership considers that a nonstarter.

A test for the Trump realignment

While Trump lost Virginia and New Jersey last fall, there were significant shifts to the right in both states. In New Jersey, Trump’s 16-point loss in 2020 shrunk to less than 6 points in 2024.

Those shifts were fueled by Trump’s increasing popularity among traditional Democratic loyalists: labor union members, Black men, Hispanic voters and younger people. Democrats are particularly vulnerable in New Jersey, which has among the largest percentage of labor union households in the nation.

If those pro-Trump trends continue this week, Democrats could be in trouble.

But Trump is not on the ballot, of course. And the Trump coalition — especially lower-propensity voters — has not typically shown up in the same numbers in non-presidential years.

Democrats are cautiously optimistic given that Trump did not campaign aggressively in either state, a move driven both by the president’s weak standing and his allies’ concerns about the Republican candidates’ viability — especially in Virginia.

At the same time, the biggest star in Democratic politics, former President Barack Obama, rallied voters in New Jersey and Virginia over the weekend.

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Pennsylvania and California and the future of elections

Pennsylvania voters will decide whether three state Supreme Court justices supported by Democrats will serve another term.

The outcome may shape the seven-member high court in the nation’s most populous swing state, and may have implications for key cases involving redistricting and balloting for midterm elections and the 2028 presidential race.

The incumbents aren’t listed by party affiliation. The ballot merely asks voters to cast a yes-or-no vote. But spending on the race is likely to exceed $15 million, indicating how important it is to Democrats and Republicans in Pennsylvania and beyond.

In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom, frequently mentioned as a 2028 presidential hopeful, is leading a charge to redraw congressional maps to give Democrats as many as five more House seats in upcoming elections.

The push is the centerpiece of a Democratic effort to counter new Republican maps in Texas and elsewhere that were drawn to boost the GOP’s chances in next year’s fight to control Congress. In order for the new maps to count in 2026, however, voters will first have to approve a yes-or-no ballot question known as Proposition 50.

By ANTHONY IZAGUIRRE and JILL COLVIN, Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — New York City’s voters are deciding the outcome of a generational and ideological divide that will resonate across the country Tuesday as they choose the next mayor to run the nation’s largest city.

Zohran Mamdani, who won the Democratic primary earlier this year, faces former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is running as an independent, and perennial Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa, who is trying to land a massive upset.

A victory for Mamdani would give the city its first Muslim mayor and its youngest leader in generations, while elevating the democratic socialist to political stardom and giving his brand of economic populism one of the most visible political perches in America.

If Cuomo comes out on top, he will have staged a remarkable political comeback four years after resigning as governor over a barrage of sexual harassment allegations.

For Sliwa — the creator of the Guardian Angels crime patrol group and a longtime New York tabloid fixture — a win would put a Republican in charge of the nation’s largest city at a time when many New Yorkers are seeking a leader who can keep President Donald Trump at bay.

The race has made Mamdani a national figure as he has drawn the ire of Trump and other Republicans, who have tried to cast him as the face of a new, more radical Democratic Party. Trump has also threatened to take over the city if Mamdani wins, as well as arrest and deport the state assemblymember, who was born in Uganda but is a U.S. citizen.

Trump reluctantly endorsed Cuomo on the eve of the election, saying Mamdani would bring “disaster” to the city and encouraging Sliwa backers to vote for the former governor instead.

A rematch with key differences

Mamdani, a 34-year-old state lawmaker, already defeated Cuomo once in the Democratic primary, energizing progressives to score a surprise victory over the once-powerful former governor with a campaign that focused on lowering the cost of living in one of the country’s most expensive cities.

This time, Cuomo is counting on support from moderates and Republicans to win. And he’s hoping incumbent Mayor Eric Adams’ late exit from the race and eventual endorsement will give him a boost among their overlapping bases of centrists, Black voters and ultra-Orthodox Jews. He’s also received the endorsement of former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a billionaire who donated $1.5 million to a super PAC supporting Cuomo in the final days of the contest.

Mamdani has generated national buzz and won endorsements from big-name progressives, including U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders and U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. He has promised to raise taxes on the richest New Yorkers and use the money to make city buses free and provide free, universal child care. He has also promised to freeze rent for people living in about 1 million rent-regulated apartments.

• New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani tries to talk to pedestrians while surrounded by reporters in New York, Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
• New York City mayoral candidate Andrew Cuomo leaves a campaign stop in New York, Monday, Nov. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
• New York mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa rallies with supporters at one of his campaign offices, in the Brooklyn borough of New York, Monday, Nov. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Show Caption1 of 3New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani tries to talk to pedestrians while surrounded by reporters in New York, Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) Expand

At the same time, Mamdani’s past criticism of the city’s police department and the Israeli government’s military actions in Gaza — which he has called genocidal — have unnerved some centrists who see him as a potential setback in their effort to broaden the party’s national appeal. Some Jewish leaders have also seized on his refusal to support Israel as a Jewish state, calling him a danger to Jews.

While Mamdani has distanced himself from some of his past rhetoric, some top New York Democrats remain concerned and have either been slow to endorse him or outright refused to.

Tuesday’s general election is being conducted as a traditional one, meaning the candidate who gets the most votes wins. The city’s party primaries were determined using ranked-choice voting, which allowed voters to rank candidates in order of preference.

Sliwa’s path to victory is narrow in the overwhelmingly Democratic city, resting on his ability to secure the GOP vote with his tough-on-crime message and Noo Yawk attitude, while picking up moderates who don’t want to elevate Mamdani or return Cuomo to power.

Sliwa, 71, has ignored pressure from within his own party to suspend his campaign and create a one-on-one race between Cuomo and Mamdani. Trump himself dismissed Sliwa as “not exactly prime time.” In the race’s final weeks, Cuomo appealed to Sliwa’s supporters, arguing that a vote for the Republican was a vote for Mamdani.

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Cuomo runs on his record, but is dogged by his past

Trump and other Republicans have eagerly painted a dire picture of New York under Mamdani’s potential leadership.

Cuomo, 67, has carried a similar message. Running on an independent party line, he has positioned himself as a seasoned executive capable of managing the city’s vast bureaucracy, drawing a contrast with Mamdani’s relative inexperience.

Cuomo’s experience as governor is perhaps also his biggest vulnerability.

He resigned in 2021 following a report from the attorney general that concluded that Cuomo had sexually harassed at least 11 women. Some of the women complained about unwanted touches, flirting, kisses and suggestive comments. One aide filed a police report accusing him of groping her breast, though a district attorney declined to prosecute.

Cuomo initially apologized for some of his behavior, saying he had fallen out of step with what is considered appropriate workplace conduct. However, in recent months, he has been defiant — calling his accusers liars and blaming his downfall on political adversaries.

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LOS ANGELES – Observations and other notes of interest from Monday night’s 120-119 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers:

– The fascination with the Heat offense is fine.

– Offense is fun.

– But if there isn’t a corresponding component, what does it all mean?

– A night after surrendering 77 first-half points in a loss to the Lakers, the Heat this time yielded 71 to the Clippers in the first half.

– As a matter of perspective, the Clippers scored 79 in a loss last week to the Warriors.

– With the Clippers’ 41 points in Monday night’s second quarter, a season high.

– To their credit, that also is when the Heat on Monday night said enough was enough.

– Getting back to their feisty selves in a lockdown second half.

– Which has to be the flip side of offensive free-for-all.

– Prior to the loss to the Lakers, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra was asked about the Heat potentially losing their way defensively with so much focus on their offense.

– “You know who my boss is, right?” Spoelstra said of Heat President Pat Riley. “We better have that mentality to defend. You put on that Miami Heat jersey, you understand that’s the expectation. Our guys understand that as well.”

– Spoelstra added, “The new players, they were well aware of that kind of standard. It’s not easy. This league is a tough league. There’s so much skill now. It’s so much different than it was 10 years ago. The three-point line, the pace, and just the things that players can do with the ball now make it tough. You can come up with any scheme but really it’s more of a mentality. You just have to commit to doing very difficult things collectively night in, night out. We’re trying to build that habit.”

– For six quarters in Los Angeles, it was a defensive foundation that was lacking.

– And then something closer to Heat normalcy in Monday night’s third quarter.

– When needed.

– Match Monday night’s second-half defensive feistiness with this season’s overall offense and you have something very special possible.

– A night after nominal playing time for Kel’el Ware in his start against the Lakers, Ware this time was out of the starting lineup for the second time this season.

– Having also previously played off the bench in the season-opening loss in Orlando.

– Instead, with Norman Powell back after a three-game absence with a groin strain, Spoelstra opened with a lineup of Powell, Davion Mitchell, Andrew Wiggins, Pelle Larsson and Bam Adebayo.

– Inactive for the Heat were Tyler Herro (ankle), Kasparas Jakucionis (groin), Vlad Goldin (G League), Myron Garnder (two-way) and Terry Rozier (not with team).

– Interestingly, before the game, and before the announcement of the lineup change, Spoelstra said, “We’re still learning about our team. But there are some good things that are trending.”

– Of Powell returning in the game against his former team, Spoelstra said, “He’s fit in very well to our way of viewing competition, our way of viewing work.”

– Asked pregame about Powell, Clippers coach Ty Lue said, “Norm’s a big part of what we did last year. Without his play, we wouldn’t have had the success we had last year.”

– The Clippers opened with a lineup of James Harden, Bradley Beal, Kawhi Leonard, Ivica Zubac and former Heat forward Derrick Jones Jr.

– Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Kel’el Ware entered together first off the Heat bench.

– With Ware entering for Adebayo.

– Simone Fontecchio was third off the Heat bench.

– With Dru Smith and Nikola Jovic following together for nine deep.

– That again left Keshad Johnson as the lone available player on a standard contract out of the Heat rotation mix.

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– The game was the 200th regular-season appearance of Fontecchio’s NBA career.

– Jaquez’s second basket was the 200th of his career.

– Adebayo extended his career-best streak of games with at least one 3-pointer to 19, dating to last season.

– The Clippers became the last of the league’s other 29 teams that Adebayo has converted a 3-pointer against.

– Asked pregame how Herro will fit on his return, which is roughly two weeks out, Spoelstra said, “That’s easy to figure out. He’s doing well. And his skill level, I mean, come on, he’s one of the most skilled guys in the league. It’s going to fit, it’s going to add. We miss him dearly.”

– Spoelstra added, “That offensive talent, playmaking, scoring, he can play fast, all of that, he fits well.”

LOS ANGELES – The failure to finish defined the first two games of this four-game Miami Heat western swing, first an inability Thursday night against the San Antonio Spurs, then something similar Sunday night against the Los Angeles Lakers.

This time, Erik Spoelstra’s team stepped up to the challenge, even when challenged to the finish, holding off the Los Angeles Clippers 120-119 Monday night at the Intuit Dome, when Clippers guard Kawhi Leonard was off with a 26-foot 3-point pull-up jumper with 2.1 seconds to play.

“Man, just to scrap and get a win like that, those are the most gratifying wins,” said center Bam Adebayo, who led the Heat with 25 points and 10 rebounds.

With Norman Powell back in the mix, the Heat were able to withstand a miserable defensive first half by getting scrappy when needed, as they next head off to conclude the week–plus away from Miami with a Wednesday night game against the Denver Nuggets.

“There was a great karma for our team in the second half. Guys were really competing for each other,” Spoelstra said. “The bottom line is you just figure out how to get the win.”

In addition to Adebayo’s numbers, the Heat got 21 points from Powell against his former  team, 17 from Andrew Wiggins and 16 from Kel’el Ware in his shift to the bench.

For the Clippers, there were 29 points from James Harden and 27 from Leonard.

Five Degrees of Heat from Monday night’s game:

1. Closing time: The Heat led 32-30 after the first quarter, despite 15 points from Leonard. The Clippers then moved to a 71-66 lead at half, before the Heat responded for a 103-95 lead going into the fourth.

But just as the Heat rallied in the third, so did the Clippers at the start of the fourth, leaving it tied midway through the final period.

Later, with the score tied 113-113, Wiggins converted a 3-pointer with 2:23 to play for a 116-113 Heat lead, only to see Harden tie it 116-116 with a 3-pointer of his own.

That’s when Adebayo stepped up, first with a go-ahead jumper, then stopping Harden, with a pair of Adebayo free throws putting the Heat up 120-116 with 57.4 seconds to play.

“I’ve been watching somebody in the summer do that a lot. So I took some pointers,” Adebayo said in an homage to WNBA star and girlfriend A’ja Wilson.

Still, it wasn’t over, with Harden converting a 3-pointer to draw the Clippers within 120-119 with 19.5 seconds to play, after Adebayo was off with a jumper.

From there, Powell was trapped into a jumpball that the Clippers won with 16.5 seconds to play.

The Clippers then played for the win, with Leonard off with his jumper.

“It was a little bit uneven in the fourth quarter,” Spoelstra said.

2. Downsizing: With Powell back in the mix, the Heat not only remixed the starting lineup, but downsized, with 7-foot Ware the one replaced from the lineup that opened the three games Powell missed with his groin strain.

To a degree, it was a factor of matching up with a Clippers lineup that started lithe former Heat wing Derrick Jones Jr. at power forward.

“I know probably people are going to Kel’el and it’s a demotion. It’s not,” Spoelstra said. “I know there will be some teams where it probably makes more sense to play big. We have a team it makes more sense to use our versatility and sometimes changing the starting lineup.”

The Heat’s realignment had 6-7 Wiggins playing as the de facto Heat starting power forward, with Pelle Larsson starting for the fourth consecutive game.

While he didn’t necessarily fill the box score, Larsson’s energy was infectious during the Heat’s third-quarter comeback.

“Pelle really sparked everything in that third quarter just with his passion, his energy,” Spoelstra said.

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3. Then Ware: Ware entered for the first time with 4:56 to play in the opening period.

He quickly moved to 12 points in his first 11 minutes, draining both of his opening 3-point attempts, while also providing defensive deterrence at the rim.

The constant with Ware was an either/or approach with Ware and Adebayo.

Ware was the choice at the start of the fourth quarter, draining a 3-pointer for the Heat’s first points of the period. Adebayo then returned with 9:55 to play.

“Kel’el gave us great minutes, great minutes,” Spoelstra said. “It was really great to see him respond.”

4. Attack mode: Adebayo scored nine of the Heat’s first 14 points, including a 3-pointer that extended his career-high streak of games with at least one conversion to 19 games dating to last season.

He was up to 21 points through three periods, at seven rebounds at that stage, before his decisive closing kick.

“Bam continues just to be out leader,” Spoelstra said.

5. Solid, then out: Powell scored seven quick points in his return against the Lakers, but then was forced to the bench with his second foul with 4:56 left in the opening period.

As he did before his groin injury Powell worked his way to the foul line, closing at 7 of 7 on free throws.

The Heat went 1-2 in Powell’s absence, winning at home against the Charlotte Hornets and then losing at the San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Lakers.

“He was on somewhat of a minutes restriction,” Spoelstra said. “But yeah you can see how he changes the dynamic of our team, offensively.”

Powell acknowledged it was an emotional night.

“I just told myself to lean into it, not shy away,” he said, “continue to be present, no matter what was going  on. Whether I had a good start, a bad start whatever, stay the course, stay even keeled and work the game, and we were able to get the win.”

There was bound to be a learning curve when you’re dealing with a roster that featured 13 newcomers.

UCF found that out the hard way as the Knights seemed out of sorts at times throughout the night before finally putting away a pesky Hofstra team, 82-78, in the season opener on Monday night at Addition Financial Arena.

The Knights are 9-1 in season openers under coach Johnny Dawkins.

Hofstra found itself in foul trouble throughout much of the game and it caught up with the Pride as UCF went to the free-throw line 36 times, connecting on 22 shots before pulling away late.

Riley Kugel led the Knights with 19 points, while Jordan Burks had 17 and Themus Fulks had 16 — 13 in the second half.

UCF grabbed an early 5-2 lead to open the game, but Hofstra responded with a 14-1 run over a five-minute stretch that caused unease among the home crowd.

Kugel would step up considerably, sinking the first 3-pointer of the game to cut the lead to 16-10 halfway through the first half. He followed it up with a fast-break pass to Burks for a dunk, and then a few plays later, the senior guard was fouled while connecting on a 30-foot shot that tied the game at 18 and sent the crowd into a frenzy.

Burks’ layup with 7:15 gave the Knights their first lead since the 17:32 mark.

After being sporadic offensively throughout much of the first half, UCF found its footing, connecting on six of its next seven shots. Hofstra, on the other hand, missed on three of its next four shots.

The Knights built up a 9-point lead before the Pride cut it to 36-32 at the half.

Hofstra retook the lead at 53-51 with 12:59 left in the second half after Preston Edmead was fouled on a 3-point attempt.

Burks hit a 3-pointer to give UCF the lead back at 54-53.

The Pride had four players in double-figures, led by David Cruz’s 17 points.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

In their season opener on Monday at Addition Financial Arena, UCF’s women’s basketball team showcased a relentless defense against Bethune-Cookman, restricting the Wildcats to just two field goals in the first quarter as the Knights built a comfortable double-digit lead while cruising to a convincing 75-36 victory.

UCF scored 38 of its points off 26 forced turnovers by B-CU.

“That’s how we’re going to have to score until we get our chemistry down and become a better half-court offensive team, points off of turnovers,” said coach Sytia Messer. “I feel our player did a good job. If we can continue to do that, that’s going to help us reach our goal this season.”

The Knights had 11 players score in the game, led by Leah Harmon, who had 14 points and Khyala Ngodu, Jacorri Bracey and Savannah Scott with 10 points apiece.

Please find me on X, Bluesky or Instagram @osmattmurschel. Email: mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com. Sign up for the Sentinel’s Knights Weekly newsletter for a roundup of all our UCF coverage.

CORAL GABLES — The Jai Lucas era of Hurricanes basketball is off to a good start.

Miami began the season with an 86-69 win over overmatched Jacksonville at the Watsco Center, earning the first career win for UM’s new coach.

After the game, Lucas’ wife, Kori, surprised him with the game ball in the locker room.

“It was big because, one, I’ve never seen my wife that fired up,” Lucas said. “So it was exciting to see her like that. And she’s been the biggest part of my journey with this, though. So just sharing this moment with me means the world. She is part of the reason, planting this seed in my head and why I’m sitting in this seat (is) because of her and everything she sacrificed for me. So without her, I wouldn’t be able to sit here and be here.”

Former Miami coach Jim Larrañaga was also in attendance on Monday night, passing the torch to Lucas.

“For Coach L and his wife to be here is huge,” Lucas said. “Like I’ve always said — and I’ll say it because it is true — but this is the program that he built, and all the success you look up (and see) in the banners come from him. So he’s welcomed me with open arms ever since I got here. And to see him at the first game, him and his wife, was just a blessing to me.”

Lucas’ debut started out closer than expected. Jacksonville took a brief lead early in the first half after the Dolphins sank a series of three-pointers, and Jacksonville, coached by Lucas’ close friend Jordan Mincy, came out in a 1-3-1 zone defense that it hadn’t played in three years.

“After the first two possessions, I look over there and he’s smiling,” Lucas said.

Said Mincy: “I don’t think they were prepared for that. They probably thought we were going to play man. And so we kind of threw a curveball at the very beginning of the game.”

But Miami seized the lead again less than halfway through the first period and never looked back. The Hurricanes took a six-point lead into halftime and made adjustments to counter the Dolphins’ zone defense. UM built up its lead throughout the second half, drawing fouls and going to the line 37 times (and shooting 78.4 percent on free throws).

“We have good resilience, and the one thing that carried over was our rebound and our physicality and our ability to get to the free-throw line,” Lucas said. “We’ve done that in our scrimmages and it carried over in this game.”

Forward Malik Reneau led Miami with 20 points, and guard Tre Donaldson (11), forward Shelton Henderson (15) and guard Tru Washington (12) all finished in double figures. Center Ernest Udeh Jr., in his first game as a Hurricane, notched a double-double with 14 points and 14 rebounds.

With one win under their belt, the Hurricanes face Bethune-Cookman on Thursday. The Wildcats took No. 20 Auburn to overtime before losing.

“It was super special for everybody, not just me,” Reneau said. “Coach got his first win, (Udeh) got a double-double. So there’s a lot of good play from us. We just got to keep going every day and then practice hard every single day, and then it’s going to show when you get out on the court.”

By W.G. RAMIREZ

LAS VEGAS Freshman Koa Peat scored 30 points to lead No. 13 Arizona to a 93-87 win over third-ranked and defending national champion Florida in the Hall of Fame Series on Monday night.

Peat was impressive in his college debut, shooting 11 of 18 from the floor and adding seven rebounds and five assists. He was fouled making a defensive rebound with 14.2 seconds left and hit his two ensuing free throws to seal the victory in both teams’ season opener.

But, it was consecutive dunks by Peat late in the second half that sent the crowd at T-Mobile Arena into a frenzy and punctuated his first colelge game.

Jaden Bradley was also impressive, scoring 27 points, including 11 of Arizona’s final 18 points, to help seal the win.

Ivan Kharchenkov shook off an injury late in the first half that sent him to the locker room and finished with 12 points for the Wildcats.

Thomas Haugh led Florida with 27 points, Xaivian Lee scored 14 and Alex Condon and Micah Handlogten each had 11.

The Wildcats shot 49.2% (30 of 61) from the field, while Florida’s poor second-half shooting (14 of 38, 36.8%) sealed its fate.

The Gators opened the game strong, pushing their lead to 12 points after hitting 11 of their first 16 shots.

The Wildcats clamped down on defense and held Florida to 5-for-16 shooting the rest of the half while going on a 32-16 run by hitting 11 of 18 shots down the stretch.

Arizona, which shot 50% from the floor in the first half, led 50-46 at halftime.

Up next

Florida: Hosts North Florida on Thursday.

By DEE-ANN DURBIN

Denny’s said Monday that it’s being acquired by a group on investors in a deal that will take the breakfast chain private.

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Denny’s board unanimously approved the deal, which values Denny’s at $620 million including debt. Denny’s will be purchased by private equity investment company TriArtisan Capital Advisors, investment firm Treville Capital and Yadav Enterprises, which is one of Denny’s largest franchisees.

Under the agreement, Denny’s shareholders will receive $6.25 per share in cash for each share of Denny’s common stock they own, or a total of $322 million. That represents a 52% premium to Denny’s closing stock price Monday.

Denny’s shares jumped 47% in after-hours trading Monday.

Denny’s was founded in 1953 in Lakewood, California, as Danny’s Donuts. The name was changed to Denny’s Coffee Shops in 1959 to avoid confusion with another chain. Denny’s began trading on the New York Stock Exchange in 1969.

Like many casual chains, Denny’s saw its sales plummet during the COVID pandemic. Once the pandemic eased, it found itself dealing with changing customer dining patterns, including a heavier reliance on delivery. Denny’s has also struggled as newer chains like First Watch promoted healthier breakfast options.

Last fall, Denny’s said it planned to close 150 of its lowest-performing locations. At the end of the second quarter, Denny’s had 1,558 restaurants worldwide, including 1,422 Denny’s restaurants and 74 Keke’s restaurants. Denny’s acquired the Keke’s brand in 2022.

Denny’s CEO Kelli Valade said the company reached out to more than 40 potential buyers and received multiple offers. Valade said Denny’s board believed the deal announced Monday was in the best interest of shareholders and the best path forward for the company.

TriArtisan Co-Founder and Managing Director Rhohit Manocha called Denny’s “an iconic piece of the American dream” with a strong franchise base and loyal customers.

“We look forward to working with Kelli and the rest of the Denny’s team and franchisees to provide resources and support the Company’s long-term strategic growth plans,” Manocha said in a statement.

If it’s accepted by Denny’s shareholders, the deal is expected to close in the first quarter of 2026.