MONTEREY, Calif. – With four drivers among the 24 entries in Sunday’s Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey season finale vying for the NTT IndyCar Series championship, the number of permutations for finishing orders is endless.

There are more than 255,000 finishing orders for the Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey and nearly 75 percent of those eliminate the three drivers – Alexander Rossi, Simon Pagenaud and Scott Dixon – pursuing current leader Josef Newgarden in the championship standings.

Heading in the season finale that awards double finishing-position points, Newgarden leads Rossi by 41 points, Pagenaud by 42 and Dixon by 85. With the double-points format, a win doubles to 100 points, second to 80, third to 70, fourth to 64, fifth to 60 and so on down the order.

Drivers also can accumulate bonus points in the race (which are not doubled), with one point being awarded for the pole position, one point for leading a lap and two points for leading the most laps.

Let’s take a look at the championship scenarios.

Newgarden not only controls his own destiny, but he’s the key to the chances of the other three contenders as well.

Quite simply, Newgarden clinches the championship if he finishes fourth or better regardless of how the others fare. He can get away with a fifth-place finish provided his two closest challengers don’t score additional bonus points for pole, leading a lap or leading the most laps.

For Rossi or Pagenaud to win the championship, Newgarden must finish sixth or worse if they win the race.

The good news for either is that they have won on a permanent road course this season (Rossi at Road America, Pagenaud at Indianapolis Motor Speedway) and Newgarden’s average finish on road courses this season is 7.2.

Rossi and Pagenaud could get away with Newgarden finishing fifth if they score two (Rossi) or three (Pagenaud) more bonus points than Newgarden while winning. Either of them winning the championship by finishing second or third is feasible.

Dixon’s path is much more complicated. He must win and have Newgarden finish 23rd or worse and have Rossi and Pagenaud finish sixth or worse. In addition, Dixon can’t lose any bonus points to any of them. Dixon will have a tiebreaker over both Rossi (more wins) and Pagenaud (same wins, more seconds) with the win, but not Newgarden (fewer wins), which may be needed in this scenario.

Rossi and Pagenaud have average permanent road course finishes of 7.5 and 8.5, respectively, so an average day for either likely helps Dixon.

The longshot in this scenario is Newgarden finishing 23rd or worse. He hasn’t finished worse than 19th this season and his last finish outside the top 20 was Texas in 2016.

Below is a more detailed look at all the potential NTT IndyCar Series championship scenarios for during the Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey.

If Newgarden finishes…

… 4th place or better: Locks up the championship, putting him 105 (Rossi) and 106 (Pagenaud) points up, which is too much for either of them to overcome.

… 5th place: Without any bonus points, this puts Newgarden up 101 over Rossi and 102 over Pagenaud. Newgarden has the tiebreaker over both (more wins than Rossi and more seconds over Pagenaud), which means they must win and score +2 (Rossi) and +3 (Pagenaud) bonus points over the weekend to steal it.

… 6th place: Without bonus points, it’s as simple as win the race, win the championship for Rossi/Pagenaud since Newgarden will only be 97/98 points ahead finishing here and 100 for the win will overcome him. However, that is close enough for Newgarden to secure the championship if he is +3 (Rossi) or +2 (Pagenaud) with bonus points. Again, Newgarden has the tiebreaker on both of them.

… 7th-9th place: Bonus points don’t matter. If either Rossi or Pagenaud win, they win the championship.

… 10th place: This is where Rossi/Pagenaud don’t have to win the race to win the championship. Tenth for Newgarden puts him ahead 81/82 points, respectively, so If Rossi/Pagenaud finish second and are +2/+3 on bonus points, Newgarden loses the championship.

… 11th place: Newgarden will be 79/80 points ahead, respectively, with tiebreakers. Rossi can break even on the bonus points and win with a second. Pagenaud will need to be +1 on the bonus points with at least a second-place finish.

… 12th-14th place: Bonus points don’t matter; second place will do it for Rossi or Pagenaud.

… 15th place: With +2/+3 bonus points, third place will win the championship for Rossi or Pagenaud.

… 16th place: Newgarden will be up 69/70 points, so Rossi wins with a third-place finish and a break-even on bonus points. Pagenaud wins with a third and +1 on bonus points.

… 17th-22nd place: Various similar scenarios where either Rossi or Pagenaud have a chance of winning the championship by one of them finishing fourth (Newgarden finishes 17th/18th), fifth (19th/20th), or even sixth (21st/22nd) depending on bonus points. Newgarden finishing one or two positions up or down in this range will be significant in this situation.

… 23rd/24th place: In an extreme scenario, Rossi could sweep the bonus points (+4 to Newgarden) and finish seventh, ahead of Pagenaud and without Dixon winning the race to capture the championship.

Lionel Messi made his season debut and Marc-Andre ter Stegen saved a penalty as Barcelona drew 0-0 at Borussia Dortmund in their Champions League Group F opener on Tuesday.

- Champions League group stage: All you need to know
- ESPN Champions League fantasy: Sign up now!

Messi had been a major doubt to participate in the match as he recovered from a calf injury but came on for teenage sensation Ansu Fati around the hour mark with the game scoreless.

Two minutes earlier, Germany international Ter Stegen palmed away Marco Reus' spot kick after Jadon Sancho was taken down in the box by a bad challenge from Barca right-back Nelson Semedo.

Ter Stegen has now saved four of the 10 penalty kicks he has faced in La Liga and the UCL with Barcelona. Only six goalkeepers from Spanish clubs have saved more penalties in La Liga and the UCL than Ter Stegen since he joined Barcelona in 2014-15.

The draw gives both sides one point from one match, with the Catalans set to host Inter Milan on Oct. 2 and the Germans visiting Slavia Prague that same day.

Christian Pulisic watched from the bench as Valencia gatecrashed Frank Lampard's managerial bow in the Champions League by earning a morale-boosting 1-0 win at Chelsea on Tuesday after Ross Barkley spurned a chance to equalise by missing the target from the penalty spot.

- Champions League group stage: All you need to know
- ESPN Champions League fantasy: Sign up now!

Spain forward Rodrigo Moreno gave the visitors the lead against the run of play in the 74th minute of the Group H game, getting the slightest of touches on a free kick from Dani Parejo to send the ball into the roof of the net.

Chelsea continued to threaten and were awarded a penalty after a VAR review spotted a handball by Valencia defender Daniel Wass, but Barkley sent the resulting spot kick on to the cross bar and over.

Valencia travelled to London reeling from a stinging 5-2 league loss at Barcelona in coach Albert Celades's first game in charge after the much-loved Marcelino was sacked to the bewilderment of players, who began a media blackout after the decision.

But they leave the English capital emboldened and with three points after producing a solid, professional display.

Dries Mertens scored a penalty in the 82nd minute and Fernando Llorente added a late score as Napoli beat defending champions Liverpool 2-0 at Stadio Sao Paolo in their opening Champions League group game on Tuesday.

- Liverpool ratings: Robertson 5/10 in shock opening defeat
- Champions League group stage: All you need to know
- ESPN Champions League fantasy: Sign up now!

Jose Callejon drew the foul for the Serie A side after being tripped by Liverpool defender Andy Robertson, allowing for Mertens to then successfully convert.

Liverpool goalkeeper Adrian, making his Champions League debut, correctly guessed on Mertens' attempt but couldn't keep the ball out of his net.

Llorente, who came on as a substitute in the 69th minute, pounced on a Liverpool mistake in the back line to slot past Adrian for Napoli's second on the night.

Marc-Andre ter Stegen saved a second-half penalty from Marco Reus as Barcelona held Borussia Dortmund to a goalless draw in their first Champions League group stage game of the season on Tuesday.

Dortmund had the best chances to take the three points but were frustrated by the brilliant Ter Stegen on a night that also saw Lionel Messi make his first appearance of the season, coming on as a substitute. Ter Stegen made a string of fine stops, including Reus' spot-kick after Nelson Semedo had fouled Jadon Sancho, and a smart double save from the same player in the final stages of the game.

Positives

Barca have conceded seven goals in four games in La Liga and so a first clean sheet of the campaign will have been welcome even if it was largely down to Ter Stegen by himself. The German goalkeeper was the centre of attention before the game due to his ongoing battle with Bayern Munich's Manuel Neuer to be his country's No.1: the two exchanged words this week ahead of this game. He will have been happy, then, to do his talking on the pitch with a brilliant performance. A penny for Germany coach Joachim Low's thoughts?

Another sight to savour for Barca fans was the introduction of Messi in the 60th minute. He hadn't played previously this season due to a calf problem but looks ready to get back to work now.

Negatives

Despite keeping the clean sheet, Barca didn't look much better in defence. There are still things to work on there. There will be even more to work on if Jordi Alba is ruled out for any length of time. The left-back was taken off in the first half with a hamstring problem. He will undergo tests on Wednesday.

There's plenty for Luis Suarez to work on, too. He looked poor. It's now been 19 games and over four years since his last Champions League goal away from home -- against Roma on Sept. 16 in 2015.

Manager rating out of 10

5 -- Ernesto Valverde was daring with his team selection, opting for possession in midfield and Ansu in attack, but his side were outplayed on the night. They had spells when they controlled the ball but created little and were second-best to Dortmund.

Player ratings (1-10; 10=best. Players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)

GK Marc-Andre ter Stegen, 9 -- His international teammate Reus will be sick of the sight of him. He saved from Reus in the first half, from the penalty spot after the break and then made a double save from the same player late on. He would have been disappointed if Julian Brandt's shot, which smashed the crossbar, had taken away his well-earned clean sheet.

DF Nelson Semedo, 4 -- Asked to play out of position at left-back when Alba was taken off and was given a tough time by Sancho's speed and trickery. Fouled the English international to give the penalty away.

DF Gerard Pique, 5 -- Struggled to pick up the runs of Reus and ex-teammate Paco Alcacer, who both wasted chances to win the game for the Bundesliga side.

DF Clement Lenglet, 5 -- Not at his best either. Let the ball bounce a couple of times to put his side under pressure and was lucky to avoid a booking late on for nasty looking foul.

DF Jordi Alba, 6 -- Was heavily involved and a key part of Barcelona's attacking play before he was forced off injured.

MF Sergio Busquets, 6 -- Did OK but could have few complaints to have been withdrawn after the hour mark for Rakitic.

MF Frenkie de Jong, 6 -- Twisted and turned his way out of problems a few times but didn't hit the heights of his form in this competition for Ajax last season.

MF Arthur Melo, 6 -- Composed in possession and looked for the more attacking option, but too often was forced to take on the less risky pass.

FW Ansu Fati, 6 -- Became the youngest ever player to represent Barca in Europe at 16 years and 221 days old, but couldn't follow up his heroics from the weekend. Showed a couple of flashes of what he's capable of at the end of the first half but was generally kept quiet by Dortmund.

FW Luis Suarez, 4 -- Returned with two goals as a substitute against Valencia on Saturday but looked like someone short of match fitness here. Touch? What touch?

FW Antoine Griezmann, 6 -- Some nice touches and movement but ultimately failed to deliver in the final third once again. Worked hard, but aside from his performance against Real Betis, he hasn't quite hit his best form as a Barca player yet.

Substitutes

DF Sergi Roberto, 6 -- Replaced the injured Alba, coming on at right-back as Semedo switched flanks.

FW Lionel Messi, 6 -- Made his first appearance of the season after recovering from a calf injury but unable to make an impact in 30 minutes on the pitch.

MF Ivan Rakitic, 5 -- Came on for Busquets for the final half an hour but couldn't make his mark on the game.

European champions Liverpool were unable to get their Champions League campaign off to a bright start as they fell to a 2-0 loss at Napoli on Tuesday. Dries Mertens scored from the penalty spot following a poor Andrew Robertson challenge, with Fernando Llorente sealing the three points in injury time following a Virgil van Dijk error.

Positives

There was always a clear and evident threat on the counterattack from Jurgen Klopp's men as they remained patient and didn't get forced into any errors. They were able to wear Napoli down as the game went on, and their quick passing was a constant pain for the Italian side to deal with.

Negatives

The Reds showed Napoli far too much respect on the ball and seemed far too laid back when they were in possession. The hosts were often able to reset themselves pretty efficiently, and one of the key reasons for that was Liverpool's slow pace, which always ensured they were living dangerously.

Manager rating out of 10

6 -- Klopp's realisation that his side needed more physicality in the middle of the park led to an interesting starting XI, and certainly got them out of jail more than once. However, the manager struggled to make the necessary changes, and while Liverpool showed a clearer attacking incentive in the second half, Klopp's hesitation with his substitutions didn't help matters.

Player ratings (1-10; 10 = best. Players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)

GK Adrian, 8 -- Made a vital double save from Fabian Ruiz in the seventh minute before producing one of the saves of the season in the 49th from a Mertens effort. Got a strong hand to the Belgian's penalty but couldn't keep it out.

- Champions League group stage: All you need to know
- ESPN Champions League fantasy: Sign up now!

DF Trent Alexander-Arnold, 7 -- Maintained a strong balance of attacking pace and phenomenal timing with his defensive duties. Has a great instinctive touch and made a key interception in the 11th minute.

DF Joel Matip, 7 -- Made a key clearance in the 25th minute and while he did drift forward on occasion, the Cameroon international remained solid at the back throughout the game.

DF Virgil van Dijk, 6 -- Made a rare yet crucial mistake for Napoli's second goal. Was in complete control at the back right up until injury time, which let him down after 90 minutes of solid play.

DF Andrew Robertson, 5 -- Lively down the wings but had a poor end product. Picked up a 57th-minute yellow card for a tame yet silly pull and gave away the penalty with a simple mistake.

MF Jordan Henderson, 6 -- The captain rarely put a foot wrong, but in equal measure he didn't have much of an influence on the state of play. Substituted off in the 87th minute.

MF Fabinho, 7 -- Proved why he's considered to be one of the most consistent defensive midfielders in European football. Seemed to get drawn into Napoli's games at times but was one of Liverpool's brighter sparks.

MF James Milner, 6 -- Looked very composed in the first half but the frustration in his game was clear as time went on. Picked up an avoidable yellow card in the 61st minute for being slightly too physical.

FW Mohamed Salah, 6 -- Forced a great save from Alex Meret in the 65th minute but was largely kept at bay by a confident Napoli backline. Was always energetic and didn't fade down the stretch.

FW Roberto Firmino, 6 -- Was swarmed by Napoli's defenders time and again. Seemed to struggle with the lack of space and wasn't able to get into his usual rhythm.

FW Sadio Mane, 6 -- Saw a nice effort saved in the 21st minute but seemed to go downhill from there. Had a poor final touch in the 55th minute when he could've set Salah up perfectly.

Substitutes

MF Georginio Wijnaldum, 6 -- Was brought on to get things moving for Liverpool from an attacking standpoint but was boxed out every single time he got on the ball.

MF Xherdan Shaqiri, N/R -- Came on with three minutes remaining and didn't have time to make an impact.

Northamptonshire 217 (Rossington 82, Rushworth 5-68) and 235 for 6 (Levi 60, Rossington 52) lead Durham 131 (Sanderson 6-54) by 321 runs

David Ripley provided a glowing reference for Adam Rossington in June when Northamptonshire announced that the wicketkeeper would assume temporary charge of the Championship side following the resignation of Alex Wakely as captain. Over the past two days, Rossington has confirmed why the head coach was so fulsome in his praise.

Victory this week may not be quite enough for Northants to guarantee promotion to the first division, but it would eliminate Durham as fellow contenders should Gloucestershire beat Worcestershire at New Road. Just when clubs are looking for captains to lead by example, Rossington has brought considerable influence to bear.

He has struck half-centuries of vastly different fashion in each innings and become his county's leading run-scorer for the summer along the way. In between, he removed Ned Eckersley with a brilliant legside stumping when his opposite wicketkeeper was trying to coax the Durham tail towards a deficit of below 50 on first innings. If Northants did champagne moments, this would have been it.

All is not yet lost for Durham because the sun has burnt off much of the green tinge on the pitch and they will have plenty of time to chase whatever the fourth-innings target. But some of the bounce has been variable, Scott Steel made the odd one turn and they will be following their second lowest first-innings total of the season, 131. Ben Sanderson and Brett Hutton were all over them.

Sanderson has already reached 50 wickets for the third time in four seasons and he is on course for matching the 60 victims removed in 2018. Numbers four and five of the innings accrued to his third and sixth balls of the second day, but the swarthy and powerful Hutton was at least as dangerous and moved the ball just as consistently.

Rossington was prepared to stand up to both, enabling the standout dismissal of the day. With Eckersley lifting his back foot when Hutton drifted down the leg side, Rossington performed the wicketkeepers' equivalent of the Timewarp: two skips to the left and a sweep of the arm to the right, before hitting the stumps with a flourish. All it lacked was the pelvic thrust.

It needed dexterity and hand-eye co-ordination. Posting a video recording of the dismissal on Twitter, Richard Vasconcelos, the injured Northants batsman/keeper, noted: "That's four byes if I'm there." There might have been a touch of modesty, but it is true that even a basic stop would have drawn applause. Hutton told team-mates it had all been a ploy; not all were convinced.

From 42 for 6, Durham had recovered to within a run of the hundred thanks to Eckersley and Ben Raine, prompting Rossington to return to his frontline pair. After a cluster of wickets, Matt Salisbury and Chris Rushworth offered a few late blows, but the lead of 86 looked very handy indeed. Furthermore, Durham had fallen further behind Northants on bonus points for the game.

They made the early breakthrough they needed when Rob Newton, handicapped by a hand injury sustained in the field on the first day, pushed only half-forward to Raine's first ball. Rushworth threatened, as always, but without getting the edge. Meanwhile, some of Durham's ground fielding was poor even allowing for the scrubbiness of the late-season square.

Slip catches accounted for Ben Curran and Wakely in successive overs, and when Rob Keogh fell cheaply to give Salisbury a second wicket, Northants were effectively 151 for 4 and probably only just ahead. The next hour would be critical, but it was an hour that Northants won decisively thanks to the enterprise of Richard Levi and Rossington in adding 91 at nearly five an over.

Both are in a shape best described as comfortable. No matter: they were hitting cricket balls, not auditioning for the Chippendales. In his third game of the season, Levi recorded his first half-century from 59 balls and proceeded to strike Salisbury beautifully for successive fours through extra cover. Rossington, who blitzed 60 from 22 balls during a mad period on Monday, played with more circumspection this time and reached his own fifty from 94 balls.

"It was a challenge and there were one or two plays and misses, but we were good enough to put the four-ball away and relieve the pressure," Levi said. "If you show intent you have a chance. When we went four-down, I think perhaps Durham sniffed something and searched for the next wicket a bit. 'Rosso' was very calming and we complement each other by scoring in different areas."

Levi fell to Rushworth's first ball back, pulling to deep square leg to give the bowler a wicket he deserved, just not with one like that. Rossington's technique served him well. He is still at the point of release and plays straight. Raine appeared to beat him for pace, but on a warm day, the attack was entitled to tire thereafter and Luke Procter added important runs before winding down towards close.

PHILADELPHIA -- Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson has an abdominal strain that is expected to sideline him for two weeks, sources tell ESPN.

One doctor recommended surgery, which would have shelved the 32-year-old for about six weeks, but Jackson wants to return to action as soon as possible, so he opted against it, a source said.

Jackson exited early in the first half against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday night.

Philadelphia brought him back via a trade with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in March to provide Carson Wentz with a bona fide deep threat. They connected for two touchdowns of 50-plus yards in the opener against Washington.

Receiver Alshon Jeffery could also miss Sunday's game against the Detroit Lions after suffering a calf injury early against Atlanta.

NEW YORK -- Where there was once a Sandman, there now might be a Bogeyman.

At least that's what teammate Domingo German calls New York Yankees ace Luis Severino: "The Bogeyman." Batters, said German, take pause just hearing his name. His stuff can haunt you. And you underestimate him at your peril.

"Remember the way it was when Pedro [Martinez] was going to pitch? Everyone would be tense because Pedro was on the mound. Severino can be like that," said German, who has gone 18-4 with a 4.09 ERA while Severino has been sidelined this season. "He's so strong. He hates losing and loves to compete. He has all the potential to come back strong and be huge for us heading into the playoffs."

As for Severino, he was amused by the comparison. After all, Martinez was his childhood hero and is now a mentor at times.

"It feels good to be thought of that way," Severino said, "and even more coming from a teammate, and especially someone like German who has done a tremendous job with us this year in my absence."

German knows the comparison shouldn't be made lightly. Their Dominican countryman -- and three-time Cy Young winner -- embodied the qualities every pitcher aspires to have: fearlessness and confidence, power and control.

And that's exactly what Severino will be looking for in himself against the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday, the first time he faces major league hitters since Oct. 8, 2018, a rough night in which he gave up six runs in three innings in a 16-1 loss to the Boston Red Sox in Game 3 of the American League Division Series.

It's been a long road to recovery for Severino, which began when he felt a dull ache in his right shoulder before what was supposed to be his spring training debut on March 5. To make matters worse, his return from rotator cuff inflammation was complicated when he was diagnosed in April with an injured lat muscle.

So the first thing Severino will be looking for Tuesday? Pitching without pain.

"This is the first time I have ever had an injury so that thought is always there. You do have that doubt in your head, 'Will it bother me again?'" he said. "But I haven't felt any pain at all and I hope it's the same on Tuesday -- that I feel nothing. But those thoughts only happen in the first couple of pitches, whether it will hurt or it won't hurt. After that, you are focused on the game, you have all that adrenaline and you forget about that."

If pain isn't an issue, the next step for Severino is to show a glimpse of the brilliant pitcher he was through 18 starts in 2018, when he posted a 1.98 ERA. Although he finished another All-Star campaign with a 19-8 record and a 3.39 ERA in 32 starts, earning his second straight top-10 finish in the Cy Young voting, Severino struggled in the second half. His inability to locate his fastball down the stretch led to hitters feasting on pitches over the plate.

Since his debut in 2015, Severino's fastball has been his most overpowering pitch deep into games, thanks to his lethal combination of hard throwing and movement. But Severino believes establishing his breaking pitches early, especially his slider, will be key to making his fastball effective on Tuesday and beyond.

"I'll be looking at the movement of all my pitches on the mound. That's the main thing for me," he said. "I want to see myself attacking batters. I want to see myself as the pitcher I have always been: aggressive, attacking batters with my fastball and throwing strikes. Not only with my fastball but with all my pitches."

Severino's velocity has long afforded him a greater margin of error. In his last couple of rehab starts his fastball speed reached 97-98 mph, but he knows reestablishing his command will take time -- and time is most certainly running out, with barely two weeks left in the regular season.

"In my last [rehab] start everything was good except I didn't have full command of my fastball. That's what I'm going to look for. If my secondary pitches are there and my fastball is there, I know I'll be fine," he said. "I have high expectations of myself. We are in the final stretch. I have three outings to try to get the best out of me. By the time the postseason starts, I want to be ready."

For the first time this season, Severino will not be dreading a Yankees homestand.

"It has been difficult for me to just watch. Funny enough, it's been a little more comfortable when the team has been on the road," Severino said. "When we're in New York and I go to a game, and I see the guys competing there, it makes me want to get on the mound. But my family has been a great support. I've also gotten to spend time with my daughters, too. And they have helped me get away from thinking about that all the time."

Despite an injury-riddled season without their ace, the Yankees are on the verge of clinching their first AL East crown since 2012. Adding a healthy and fresh arm like Severino's could be a game-changer in October.

"[We're] getting back one of the best pitchers in the league. That's our trade deadline right there. Having an ace like that," outfielder Aaron Judge said after the Yankees finished a three-game series in Toronto, where Severino rejoined the team Friday. "A boost for us. A boost to our pitching staff, which has been carrying this team."

Said manager Aaron Boone: "No question we're excited to get him back. Feel like he's been in a pretty good place physically now for a couple of months and building really good momentum. Probably a chance to make three starts or so with us, hopefully allows him to continue to build up, continue to find that consistency. He could be a game-changer guy for us, there's no question."

The Yankees know it. Severino knows it. Anticipation in the Yankees clubhouse for the 25-year-old righty's first start of the season is high.

No one is more excited than The Bogeyman himself.

"For the last four, five months I have thought of this one day. What is it going to be like that day. I will try not to be too excited," Severino said. "It has been a long way back and it will be difficult not to be too excited. But I will try to block everything outside and focus on my catcher and hitting the mitt. If I try to do that, I will do a good job on the mound."

METAIRIE, La. -- At the end of last season, things looked like a mess for the New Orleans Pelicans.

Anthony Davis wanted a trade. A promising season was dashed. Alvin Gentry's job seemed to be in danger. The front office didn't have a clear direction to head in.

Fast forward to September, and Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday says he notices a difference at the team's practice facility, and a big difference at that, thanks to new executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin.

"I feel like the whole vibe, the whole attitude in the facility and with the staff has just been different," Holiday told ESPN by phone on Tuesday. "It definitely feels like people are ready and excited. It's been like that ever since Griff has come into place."

It all fits into the vision that Griffin brought with him when he was hired in April. He's added new faces to the mix -- like general manager Trajan Langdon and vice president of basketball operations Swin Cash -- while also keeping Gentry around for his fifth season as head coach.

Holiday added that Griffin is also "putting his money where his mouth is" in terms of structure. More specifically, owner Gayle Benson's money. A multimillion-dollar refurbishment began at the practice facility that is set to be completed next month.

"It's a good feeling to know that just like that, he says what he means and he gets it done," Holiday said.

Holiday spent most of the offseason working out in Los Angeles but admitted he felt like he was walking into a brand-new facility when he got back to New Orleans. He's spent the past two days with nearly the entire team for voluntary workouts -- guard JJ Redick is expected to join the team tomorrow to complete perfect attendance -- and has been impressed with the new faces.

Everyone knows how explosive Zion Williamson can be, but Holiday was impressed with how he finishes at the rim.

"I think it's really just a touch around the basket," Holiday said. "Sometimes you see people like that and they kind of shoot the ball off the backboard or whatever but he has a nice touch to him."

And while Holiday liked Jaxson Hayes' ability around the rim and Nickeil Alexander-Walker's vision, he also noticed something about the group as a whole, including the pieces New Orleans picked up in the Anthony Davis trade in former Lakers Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram and Josh Hart.

"Everybody has the same mentality," Holiday said. "You can feel that we're going to be tough to deal with. We're kind of a younger group. But we can get after it every night."