West Ham recover from 3-0 down to draw 3-3 at Cardiff
Leaders Middlesbrough beaten 2-0 at Wrexham
Scott Parker’s return to West Ham had had looked like beginning in painful fashion but instead featured a stunning comeback from 3-0 down. The east London club’s new head coach had watched Cardiff’s Jack Moylan help himself to a first-half hat-trick, before a rousing response after the break ended with Max Kilman levelling the scores at 3-3 eight minutes from time. Elsewhere in the Championship, leaders Middlesbrough went down 2-0 at Wrexham.
Parker had been confirmed as West Ham’s head coach earlier on Wednesday, taking over from Nuno Espírito Santo, who was sacked on Tuesday. The club’s former midfielder was appointed on a two-and-a-half year contract.
The players are on the pitch! And while the tournament anthem rings out, the Fenerbahce midfielder Yuksek gives his mascot a fairly intense cheek massage.
The players are gathering in the tunnel, while outside rain continues to fall, and Gala’s Freed from Desire rings out.
Patrick and Sivan Dumont have formally become the controlling owners of the Dallas Mavericks after purchasing Miriam Adelson's shares of the franchise last month, a story broken by Tim MacMahon of ESPN. The Dumonts now own 69% of the Mavericks.
While this is a change at the top, it should have little day-to-day impact, as Patrick Dumont has served as team governor and been the acting owner on the ground since the day Mark Cuban sold the team to the Dumonts and Adelsons. Here is what Dumont told ESPN:
"It's really about long-term investment in the city of Dallas," Dumont told ESPN on Tuesday. "The Dumont family is really committed to building what we hope is the best arena in the NBA, a really significant investment in the city that will help create the new 40-year home for the Dallas Mavericks, a great experience for our fans and inspire our team to win championships. That's really what we're focused on. We had the opportunity, and we're really excited about it."
As Cuban said when he sold his majority share of the team, the NBA has become a real estate business, and what Dumont is looking to build is not just a new arena but the anchor of a much larger development. That is the trend with professional sports franchises in general, including the Dallas Cowboys.
Dumont, the Las Vegas Sands Co. CEO, has experience with building and development. He didn't have experience as an NBA owner when he took over the team, and that position comes with a learning curve (a longer one for some than others). Dumont became a villain early in his ownership of the Mavericks when he approved the controversial trade of Luka Doncic to the Lakers, which led to severe backlash from fans in Dallas. Dumont told ESPN’s MacMahon he learned from those experiences.
"The most important thing every day is just trying to work harder to get better," Dumont said. "It's something that really applies in life, but it's something that really applies to here. It's been an experience as a new owner in the league. Dallas is a great sports city. I think we have the best fans in the NBA, very passionate, and it's my job to make sure that we win and that we support our fans. I'm really focused on that. I've learned that there are a lot of things you can do -- sometimes they work, sometimes they don't -- but you've got to keep pushing, got to keep going."
Dumont made changes in the front office, bringing in Masai Ujiri to run the show, then Ujiri fired coach Jason Kidd to bring in Dusty May. Dumont spent millions to upgrade the team's practice facilities. All of this with the idea of trying to maximize the team around Cooper Flagg, who in his second NBA season is looking elite and like an All-NBA player already. The new arena will ultimately be remembered as the one Cooper built.
LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 2: Walker Kessler #14 of the Los Angeles Lakers plays defense on Giannis Antetokounmpo #7 of the Miami Heat on November 2, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
In his return to Utah on Oct. 25, Walker Kessler struggled, scoring two points (1-of-2 shooting) and committing four fouls. Afterward, he conceded that he let his emotions overwhelm him and never found a rhythm against the Jazz. Since then, he’s recorded three double-doubles in five outings — all of which have come the past three games — and averaged 2.6 blocks each night.
During the Los Angeles Lakers’ win over the Miami Heat on Monday, he tallied 15 points (7-of-13 shooting), 15 rebounds, two assists and two steals. A day prior in a victory against the Toronto Raptors, he posted 16 points (6-of-6 shooting), 15 rebounds, three blocks, one assist and one steal.
The second Laker in franchise HISTORY to record 16 points, 15 boards, & 3 blocks on a perfect shooting night: Walker Kessler 🫡 pic.twitter.com/6e7PHrlEWe
Through eight games, Kessler’s acquisition has been a smash hit for Los Angeles. He’s averaging 14.4 points (69.8% true shooting), 10.5 rebounds, 2.5 blocks and 1.1 steals.
“He’s a big key for us. I think when he plays good, it gives us a way better chance to win,” Luka Dončić told reporters postgame on Monday. “He just need to keep going like this. Like we told him, we have his back. Obviously, he’s not going to play every game great, but what he’s been doing, it’s helping us win a lot.”
The Lakers’ success this season will continue being shepherded by Dončić, Kessler and Austin Reaves. Each of them has kicked off 2026-27 in excellent form, so it’s no surprise Los Angeles finds itself 6-2 with the league’s second-ranked offense and seventh-best net rating (plus-8.8). When those three share the floor, the Lakers have outscored their opponents by 104 points in 145 minutes while notching a 138.3 offensive rating and 105.8 defensive rating, per NBA.com.
Reaves, the longest-tenured Laker, seems to enjoy playing alongside his new starting center and understands his importance.
“He’s been great. It’s fun to watch,” Reaves said Monday. “Glad to have him on our team and he’s going to continue to get better every single game. But he’s been massive for us this whole year.”
Kessler and the Lakers will look for a third consecutive win Wednesday night on the road against the Sacramento Kings at 7 p.m.
Wilder, 41, has won 43 of his 45 victories by knockout
Australian cruiserweight champion moves up in weight
Cardiff showdown will stream worldwide on Netflix
Deontay Wilder, the former World Boxing Council heavyweight champion, will face unbeaten Australian cruiserweight world champion Jai Opetaia on the undercard of Tyson Fury’s showdown with Anthony Joshua in Cardiff on 11 December, organizers announced on Wednesday.
Opetaia will move up to heavyweight to take on one of history’s most devastating punchers at the Principality Stadium with the event streaming live worldwide on Netflix.
Oct 21, 2026; Portland, Oregon, USA; Portland Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan (23) celebrates scoring a three point basket during the first half against the Phoenix Suns at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Who: Phoenix Suns (1-4) vs. Portland Trail Blazers (5-1)
When: 7:00 pm Arizona Time
Where: Mortgage Matchup Center — Phoenix, Arizona
Watch: Arizona’s Family 3TV, Arizona’s Family Sports
Listen: KMVP 98.7
The Suns are back at it on Wednesday evening as they return to the site of their only victory thus far this season. Home. What lies before them is a seven-game homestand, an opportunity to stabilize the front end of the season before things spiral into an unrecoverable tailspin.
Their opponent? The very team that sent them down this worrisome path in the first place, the Portland Trail Blazers, who led by as many as 52 points before handing Phoenix a 41-point defeat in the season opener.
In some respects, it feels like we’re watching two teams heading in completely different directions. Last season, these teams met in the Play-In Tournament, with the Suns holding home-court advantage as the seventh seed. But the Trail Blazers, led by Deni Avdija, dispatched Phoenix with relative ease, putting the Suns in a position no team wants to find itself in. They were suddenly at risk of becoming the first seventh seed to miss the postseason entirely. Thankfully, Phoenix won its next game, earning a date with the Oklahoma City Thunder. We all know how that went.
But as this season has gotten underway, Portland has continued to build on the momentum it established a season ago, racing out to a 5-1 start. Meanwhile, the Suns find themselves on the opposite end of the spectrum at 1-4.
It’s a small sample size, of course. At any point during an NBA season, a team can go 1-4 over a five-game stretch, and while there might be some concern, you probably don’t think too much of it. But this is the foundation of the season. This is when we’re getting to know what a team looks like, what it’s capable of, what it does well, and where its opportunities for improvement lie.
When you look at the Portland Trail Blazers through that same lens, you see a roster constructed in a manner that makes sense, one capable of absorbing an injury or two without completely compromising its identity. That’s exactly what they’re dealing with. Ja Morant and Shaedon Sharpe are unavailable for this matchup, yet Portland possesses enough quality depth to remain competitive. Their absences don’t necessarily derail what they’re trying to accomplish.
The Suns, meanwhile, are experiencing something entirely different at the center position. Although Mark Williams is the only player listed as out on the injury report, his absence has created a ripple effect throughout the roster, one that becomes especially concerning when facing a team like Portland.
Perhaps Phoenix can use what happened in the season opener as motivation heading into Wednesday night. Nobody enjoys being embarrassed in the manner the Suns were, especially when the team responsible for that embarrassment is coming into your building. The question becomes: What are you going to do about it?
Tale of the Tape
Probable Starters
Injury Report
Suns
Mark Williams — OUT (Left Shoulder Surgery)
Jordan Goodwin — QUESTIONABLE (Right Calf Soreness)
The Suns’ backcourt continues to be a point of evaluation for both the organization and the fan base. Jalen Green had what appeared to be a solid performance in the Suns’ last outing, finishing with 11 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, and four turnovers. His playmaking abilities felt much more refined, although he certainly received some help from his friends, who were knocking down the shots he created for them.
The Suns’ backcourt continues to be a point of evaluation for both the organization and the fan base. Jalen Green had what appeared to be a solid performance in the Suns’ last outing, finishing with 11 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, and four turnovers. His playmaking abilities felt much more refined, although he certainly received some help from his friends, who were knocking down the shots he created for them.
Green finished the game with 11 potential assists, meaning his teammates failed to convert only three times when he put them in a position to score. That’s a 73% conversion rate, which is pretty remarkable. Prior to Monday’s game, his assist conversion rate was 48%.
But then you look at the other aspects of Green’s game, and you can’t help but wonder why he can’t seem to put everything together at the same time. He shot 1-of-6 from the free-throw line and 0-of-4 from beyond the arc, posting a true shooting percentage of 33.1%. Make a couple of those shots, and we’re potentially talking about a much different outcome against Golden State.
So once again, I’ll be watching how this backcourt performs, particularly whether Green can combine his improved playmaking with the scoring efficiency this team desperately needs.
I’ll also be paying close attention to how Phoenix defends Portland, because the last time these teams met, the Suns were utterly atrocious on that end of the floor. You can chalk some of that up to it being the season opener, with players still trying to understand their assignments, responsibilities, and positioning within the defensive scheme. But regardless of the circumstances, Phoenix surrendered far too many wide-open three-pointers.
And Damian Lillard was more than happy to oblige, connecting on 6-of-10 attempts from beyond the arc.
Trail Blazers Shot Chart vs. Suns: 10/21/26 | hoopsjunkie.io
Key to a Suns Win
It’s simple. This one comes down to rebounding. The Phoenix Suns are the worst rebounding team in the league by percentage, and they’re going up against the best in the Portland Trail Blazers.
Phoenix has struggled mightily on the glass, both offensively and defensively. This roster doesn’t have many players who can go up and simply snatch the shit out of the basketball. Instead, seemingly every rebound becomes an adventure in which poor positioning forces someone to tip the ball toward a teammate or desperately try to tap it back to themselves.
Meanwhile, Portland has long, rangy defenders who understand how to position themselves and secure rebounds, creating second-chance opportunities that can bury an opponent. It’s something the Trail Blazers did well last season, and they’re picking up right where they left off.
If the Suns want any chance of winning this game, they’re going to have to earn every rebound through focus, positioning, and our good old friend, “give a shit”.
Prediction
There’s nothing I’ve seen thus far this season that gives me confidence the Suns are going to win this game. They’ve been atrocious at defending the three-point line, their rebounding has been equally concerning, and those are two areas in which the Portland Trail Blazers have excelled early this season.
Perhaps this will be like last year, when everything came together in the fifth game. The defensive intensity started to manifest itself in a way that was both replicable and exciting to watch, giving us a glimpse of what this team could become.
I’d love to believe we’re on the verge of witnessing something similar. I simply don’t see it.
CHARLOTTE, NC - OCTOBER 31: Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers smiles against the Charlotte Hornets on October 31, 2026 at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Kent Smith/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Happy Birthday to Tyrese Maxey, who turns 26 years old today.
Between the Jaylen Brown trade and LeBron James signing for a minimum deal this offseason, it became easy to overlook just how important Maxey is to the Philadelphia 76ers franchise. The first eight games of the regular season have fixed that issue, with Tyrese exploding for 29.1 points per game on 50.3 percent shooting from the field, while also averaging 4.1 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.8 steals and 0.9 blocks. Maxey is even shooting well below career numbers from behind the arc over this small sample, so we could very well be looking at him averaging over 30 points per game this season. With the Sixers currently sitting with a 7-1 record, Tyrese is rightfully getting some early MVP conversation buzz. As Jaylen Brown said yesterday, this is Maxey’s team.
Jaylen Brown: "Maxey's been leading the way, 100 percent. He's been here, this is his team." pic.twitter.com/42uACLCWks
We often neglect to account for how improbable Maxey reaching this point truly is within the bigger picture. He slipped to 21st overall in the 2020 NBA draft; players taken outside the lottery rarely reach All-NBA levels. Shooting was regarded as a weakness in his game and Tyrese has worked to become one of the absolute best shooters in the world. Maxey is a 6-foot-2 guard who was viewed as a defensive liability, and has now progressed to being a genuinely positively impactful player on that end of the court. The one percent better every day mantra could just be cute slogan for 99.9 percent of the population; for Maxey, he actually goes out and achieves it.
Maxey is already the career three-point field goals leader in Sixer franchise history (936 and counting). He currently sits 12th in franchise history on the scoring list, and barring injury, he’ll be at least 10th at the end of the season. At his current trajectory, it would only take about six more seasons of similar play following this one for Tyrese to become the franchise’s all-time leading scorer. We could very well be in the middle of watching the most prolific Sixers career ever.
Looking back, it’s fair to argue Maxey saved this franchise from bottoming out for at least the next half decade. Without him around, the locker room may very well have imploded during the rough patch of recent years. Maybe the front office decides to do the full reset and strip things down to the studs. Mike Gansey likely doesn’t think it’s worth giving up future draft capital to acquire Jaylen Brown. LeBron James certainly doesn’t sign here without Maxey’s presence. It’s a dark sliding doors world where Mike Muscala doesn’t hit that shot and Tyrese Maxey doesn’t end up a Sixer. Happy Birthday, Tyrese! We are very, very glad to have you.
After missing the first two weeks of the season with a hamstring injury, Kon Knueppel has been upgraded to probable ahead of Wednesday’s game against the Nets. Hamstring injuries can be weird, so continue to keep tabs on Knueppel over the next few weeks, but his return should help Charlotte get on track.
So far this season, the Hornets are first in the league in three-point attempts per game (44.4), second to last in three-point percentage (29.6%) and last in points per game (97.4). The Nets are second to last in points per game at 105.4, so 8.2 points more than the Hornets. The Grizzlies are first in scoring at 123.0 points per game.
Basically, the Hornets are shooting a ton of threes, they’re not going in, and they’re not scoring much. Knueppel’s return should help them right the ship. That should push Sion James back to the bench, and it will likely result in Grayson Allen playing a smaller role. Allen has been one of the best reserves in the league early on, so he isn’t worth dropping yet. Keep an eye on how the rotation plays out over the next few games, especially as they get Knueppel up to speed. Coby White made his season debut on Monday and only played 16 minutes, so they may ease Knueppel into the rotation.
Here are 10 more injury updates that could impact your fantasy league:
Chet Holmgren, C, Oklahoma City Thunder
This is the big one. The news has been out for a while, but we still need to talk about it. Holmgren is set to be out until 2027 due to a knee issue. With Jalen Williams (leg) and Cason Wallace (shoulder) both set to be out for a long time, having Holmgren sidelined as well will leave them incredibly shorthanded. Not many teams have enough depth to make up for those absences, but the Thunder do. Not enough to remain high-level contenders, but they should still be competitive.
Isaiah Hartenstein is more important than ever, though Aday Mara and Jaylin Williams should see boosts as well. Williams started in OKC’s last game, though Mara is the better option for fantasy managers and should be seen as the priority pickup. The rookie has been strong on the glass and as a shot blocker as of late.
Dejounte Murray, G, New Orleans Pelicans
Murray missed the Pelicans’ last three games due to personal reasons, which led many to speculate about a possible trade. The first was due to the birth of his son, but he was in the building for the second absence, which was strange. He returned home for the third absence to help care for his son, and he is off the injury report ahead of Wednesday’s matchup with the Jazz.
At least for now, we can put the trade machines down. Jeremiah Fears struggled with his shot on Monday, but the three games without Dejounte were his three best outings of the season. It could be seen as a sort of tryout to see if Fears could run the show, which also fueled trade speculation for Murray. For now, Murray will be back in the lineup, which will likely hinder Fears' value. However, there is a path to strong production in the future for Fears.
The strong drives from Jeremiah Fears continue. Has improved at reading the defense in pick and roll. Brings the ball up slow, sees the high screen. Defense goes under and *then* he changes speeds to turn the corner and finish. pic.twitter.com/v5XTmz3RBq
It was announced last week that Morant would miss four weeks with a hamstring injury, putting his return around the end of November. It’s unfortunate news, given how well Morant had been playing for a Portland team that is now 5-1.
In his absence, Scoot Henderson has slid into the starting lineup, with Jrue Holiday playing a more significant role off the bench. Scoot has struggled despite the larger role, and while it’s still a good opportunity for him to improve his long-term outlook, Holiday is the better option for fantasy managers. He had 17 points, eight rebounds, 10 assists, one steal, one block and three triples in Monday’s win over Denver.
Cameron Johnson, F, Denver Nuggets
We have some good news here. Johnson exited early from Monday’s game against the Trail Blazers, and it looked like it could be a hamstring injury. However, they have him listed as probable to play on Wednesday due to “lower body injury management.” It’s a strange designation that doesn’t tell us much, but the positive part is the probable tag. Keep an eye on this situation, but he isn’t expected to miss any time.
Kawhi Leonard, F, Toronto Raptors
Toronto announced on Tuesday that Leonard underwent treatment to address the swelling in his left knee, and that he would return to Toronto to begin ramping back up. He is set to be re-evaluated next week. That doesn’t provide much clarity, but it is a positive update.
Hopefully, Leonard will return soon, but until then, Ja’Kobe Walter will continue to start. Walter’s tenure as a starter began well, though he has cooled off recently. He should be rostered until Leonard returns, and he still may hold value beyond that. Walter has been effective on both ends of the ball and continues to be one of the team’s best shooters.
Egor Dëmin, G, Brooklyn Nets
The Nets announced last Friday that Dëmin has a bone bruise in his left knee and is set to be re-evaluated later this week. Chaney Johnson has filled in as a starter, and while he has been solid, he hasn’t done much for fantasy managers. Nolan Traore has been the one to step up with Dëmin sidelined, and the second-year guard has taken advantage of the opportunity. Traore is an intriguing add, and he should continue to start even after Dëmin returns.
Watson missed Monday’s game against the Thunder with a hamstring injury and is set to remain out in Wednesday’s rematch. Meleek Thomas got the starting nod in place of Watson, with Mario Hezonja and Sam Merrill joining Thomas in playing 26 minutes. All three should continue to see a boost until Watson or Jaylon Tyson returns. However, Thomas should be the priority waiver wire add, assuming he continues to start. He has been impressive this season, especially for a second-round pick on a playoff team.
Jaylon Tyson, F, Cleveland Cavaliers
Tyson is set to miss a third straight game with an ankle injury on Wednesday. He would have had the opportunity to start with Watson sidelined, but that role has been passed to Thomas. There isn’t much clarity as to when Watson or Tyson will return to the lineup, but they will both remain out against OKC on Wednesday. They play the 76ers on Friday, which would be the next time either Watson or Tyson can play.
Brandon Ingram, F, LA Clippers
The Clippers assigned Ingram (heel), Yanic Konan Niederhäuser (foot) and Max Strus (foot) to the G League on Sunday to continue their recovery processes and recalled all three on Monday. Strus ended up making his season debut on Monday, while BI and YKN remained out. There isn’t a specific timeline as to when Ingram could play again, but this is a positive step for him. Hopefully it won’t be much longer.
Adou Thiero, F, Los Angeles Lakers
On Monday, head coach JJ Redick said Thiero is “ramping up” and could make his season debut before the end of the week. Thiero didn’t play much during his rookie year, but he was productive during summer league and played a decent role during the preseason. Keep an eye on how he fits into the rotation when he’s healthy. He can be a source of steals.
Rory McIlroy voiced his support on Wednesday for the DP World Tour chief executive’s claim that LIV Golf’s goal was to “destroy” the European golf circuit.
In just a few more weeks, teams around the NHL will open for trade business as they find out who and what their rosters really are, and the Philadelphia Flyers, who will have to make an important decision in that regard themselves, have been busy scouting around the league.
Typically, around Thanksgiving, NHL teams tend to assess if they are playoff-caliber or not, and plan their future business accordingly.
The Flyers, who have won just four of their first 17 games this season, are obvious candidates to become sellers up to and through the NHL trade deadline in March. All signs indicate that general manager Danny Briere and Co. will remain patient with the current Flyers roster until the end of the month before making any big decisions.
In preparation of having to make a tough call on some players, the Flyers have been out and about around the NHL, taking in all kinds of different games.
Previously, we noted that Flyers president Keith Jones had traveled to watch recent games, including Devils-Senators, Rangers-Kings, and Blackhawks-Canadiens.
The latter is especially interesting, given that, on Tuesday night, the Flyers had a heavy contingent in attendance for another Montreal Canadiens game.
According to The Hockey News's own Karine Hains in Montreal, Flyers assistant general manager Alyn McCauley, as well as Lehigh Valley Phantoms coaches John Snowden, Nick Schultz, Terrence Wallin, and Patrick McDonough, were all on-site to watch the Canadiens take on the Winnipeg Jets.
Now, the Phantoms crew isn't terribly unusual, given that the Phantoms will be playing against the Canadiens' AHL affiliate, the Laval Rocket, on Wednesday night.
In McCauley's case, though, this is the second time in recent weeks the Flyers have had an executive - McCauley and Jones - at a Canadiens game.
Despite the Canadiens' epic choke in an eventual 5-4 overtime loss to the Jets, they're still sixth in the NHL with a 9-3-3 record, and second in the Atlantic Division behind the 11-4-1 Boston Bruins.
So, if anything, that loss to the Jets reinforces the fact that the Canadiens are in prime position to be buyers on the trade market throughout the year, something the Flyers could help them with.
Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj has long been linked to the Flyers in trade rumors; that seems to be the most obvious connection between the two teams.
The Flyers, in need of centers themselves, aren't in a position to offer the Canadiens an important piece behind Nick Suzuki, though Montreal would surely appreciate Philadelphia's breadth of wingers for depth purposes.
Again, we're still at least 2-3 weeks away from trade season officially getting underway around the NHL, but it's notable that, as they continue to flounder, the Flyers are obviously taking notes around the NHL, doing their due dilligence.
And the longer these struggles continue, the more likely the Flyers are to aim for a big change somewhere along the food chain.
LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 2: Luka Doncic #77 and Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers high five during the game during the game against the Miami Heat on November 2, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
It’s a fun time to be a Lakers fan, evidenced by Bill Simmons’ anger about the Lakers. Anything to take his focus off Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown feuding, I guess.
We asked again for questions from you guys and, once again, you answered…or asked? Either way, there’s plenty to talk about in this week’s mailbag!
It might feel like the Lakers have an unsustainable offense, but I think some pretty encouraging numbers push back against that. So, let’s dive into this because there is a lot to this.
First, let’s look at the threes. Sure, many of Luka threes don’t seem sustainable except that it’s Luka taking those threes. But outside of that, the team is getting quality looks from beyond the arc.
The team is ninth in 3-point rate with 46% of their shots coming from beyond the arc. That’s a drastic change from last year when they ranked 22nd at 39.4%.
More notably, the team was dead last in catch-and-shoot 3-pointers attempted and made last year and 24th in 3-pointers attempted overall. This season, it hasn’t even been that drastic of an increase in volume, but it has improved. They’re 16th in 3-pointers attempted, 25th in catch-and-shoot 3-pointers attempted and 19th in makes.
The biggest changes are that they rank second in 3-point percentage, first in catch-and-shoot 3-point percentage and eighth in wide-open 3-point percentage. And yet, they still rank just 15th in the percentage of their points coming from threes.
That’s because they’re still getting to the rim, too. Last season, they were basically, across the board, the best team at scoring once they got to the paint. It’s the benefit of having LeBron James with Luka and Austin Reaves, two great finishers at the rim.
LeBron is, obviously, gone now. But for this specific stat, they replaced him with Walker Kessler, who has feasted at the rim as a roll man. Add in Collin Sexton and Quentin Grimes, two players north of the 85th percentile in field goal percentage at the rim, and you see why the Lakers rank second in the league in field goal percentage at the rim and first in field goal percentage in the paint.
To perhaps lay this out a little differently, the Lakers opened the season with Walker Kessler flourishing in the pick and roll. Teams rightly decided that wasn’t sustainable, so they started blitzing ballhandlers on ball screens and working to take away Kessler as a roll option.
The result is open 3-point shooters and the Lakers now have a team capable of punishing teams who leave them open. Certainly, they won’t keep shooting this well, but this is also the type of offense head coach JJ Redick wants to run. He wants a modern offense that puts up lots of threes.
So, don’t expect a change, but also don’t be quite so worried about it being unsustainable.
LOS ANGELES, CA – NOVEMBER 1: Walker Kessler #14 of the Los Angeles Lakers blocks the shot of Collin Murray-Boyles #30 of the Toronto Raptors during the game between the Toronto Raptors and the Los Angeles Lakers on November 1, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Let’s jump to the other side of the floor now and look at the defense.
The good news is that when you have an offense as good as the Lakers have had, you don’t need to be great defensively to win. The bad news is, notably, bad defenses don’t typically win at the highest levels.
As commenters pointed out, two areas are at least partly responsible for the poor defensive rating: turnovers and rebounding.
The Lakers currently rank 27th in the league in turnovers and 27th in opponent points off turnovers. Teams are taking advantage of the Lakers being sloppy.
They also rank 26th in offensive rebounds allowed. Not surprisingly, they rank 29th in opponent second chance points.
Defensively, they’re great in lots of areas. They’re fifth in steals, fourth in blocks and second in points off turnovers. They’re mostly middle of the road or slightly below average in opponent field goal percentage (17th) and opponent 3-point percentage (23rd). And that’s not based on shooting luck, as teams are hitting 38.8% of their open threes.
The more this group gains chemistry and familiarity, the better they’ll look defensively as well. It’s not as simple as fixing those two aspects and being a good defense, but those are the two glaring outliers right now.
The rotations have been pretty ironclad with Luka and Ausint since last year. Luka is going to play the entire first and third quarters and half of the second and fourth quarters to come in at around 36 minutes.
Austin will have his minutes broken up a bit more as he’ll leave late in the first quarter, return to open the second, then take another break in the middle of the period before returning to close the frame. Then, he repeats that in the second half.
That has been the rotation for the last two seasons for those two. It ensures that one of them is always on the floor, which is the right approach, and keeps both of them around 36 minutes per game.
When you have two elite on-ball players, you want to give both chances to maximize that skill. Austin is a great off-ball player as well, but giving him his own lineups and time on the floor without Luka, and vice versa, means the Lakers will have a full 48 minutes of an All-Star-level player on the floor.
There will be concerns about both of them after the injuries last season. But the Lakers also need them on the floor as well and 36 minutes per game isn’t an unreasonable expectation for a star.
The more likely route for them to get rest is nights off throughout the year. The team already rested Luka once and I imagine that’ll happen with some regularity this season.
It’s definitely fair to be put off by Quentin Grimes’ slow start. Like many, I thought he would get a starting nod to open the season. But perhaps Redick and his staff saw what fans eventually saw when the season started, which was a fair amount of indecisiveness and uncertainty.
The good news is that we are only three weeks into the season and Grimes looked better in the most recent game. It’s a matter of him eventually playing more on instinct rather than thinking through the game, which you can tell he’s doing right now.
I actually think it’d be better for him, and the team long-term, to be in the starting lineup. It gives that group another creator and dynamic player who can drive or shoot. But it’s hard to make the argument to start him based on how he’s currently playing.
We’re still quite a bit away from being too worried about Grimes. Instead, I’d rather celebrate finding two big wins in Ziaire Williams and Matisse Thybulle so far.
I have two reactions to this.
First, I think in this specific play, their judgement was that Thybulle was in an illegal guarding position and committed a foul before any push off occurred. Because there’s simply no way to argue there wasn’t a push off.
Secondly, as will most things that are a point of emphasis to start the year, I don’t suspect it will carry on into the season much. Stars aren’t changing how they play to accommodate the rule change. It’ll just continue business as usual.
RFU chief Bill Sweeney offers full support to Borthwick
England boosted by fly-half Fin Smith returning to training
Steve Borthwick has been given the Rugby Football Union’s unequivocal backing to lead England into next year’s World Cup even if the side flop this autumn.
In September Borthwick’s contract was extended to after the 2028 Six Nations, despite England’s worst ever Six Nations performance this year, to avoid speculation in the buildup to next year’s tournament. But the head coach remains under pressure on the back of five defeats in the last seven matches.
If you are to believe preseason predictions, this game being a showdown between the East’s top two teams could come as a bit of a surprise. Pistons fans knew this team would be good, but many talking heads predicted a falloff this season while everybody was on board with the 76ers being one of the best teams in the league.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the team that was 1st in the East last season is once again competing for the top seed in the East, but talking heads have to make their money somehow. ESPN at least had the foresight to pickup this game and you get what should be a very fun early-season showdown between two teams that have only lost one game each.
The 76ers and Pistons have played once this season and the Pistons won, but it is tough to draw any conclusions since both teams were missing a couple of starters.
Game Vitals
Where: Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, MI When: Wednesday, November 4 at 7 pm EST Watch: ESPN Odds: Detroit (-2.5)
Analysis
The Pistons will be without Jalen Duren and Isaiah Joe, who was already ruled out for this game last night. The Pistons were missing Jalen Duren in the last matchup between these teams and also Ausar Thompson, who they will have back. But, Isaiah Joe did suffer the hip injury that is still keeping him out during the 1st quarter of the last matchup, so the Pistons are trading one injured player for another.
With this being a National TV game and the 76ers getting a day of rest, I would suspect that everybody plays for them tonight. In the last matchup, the 76ers did not have Joel Embiid or VJ Edgecombe, which really put their lack of depth to the test.
Joel Embiid’s size and ability on the glass could become a problem for the Pistons, who will continue to start the undersized Paul Reed and likely use John Collins to back him up. Without Jalen Duren, rebounding was already going to be a problem, but the Pistons have been able to overcome it during his absence.
In the last matchup, the Pistons were able to contain Tyrese Maxey through 3 quarters before he started hitting shots in the 4th. It was a bit of shocking development since the Pistons were without Ausar Thompson, but without some of the other stars for the 76ers, they could focus their defense more on stopping Maxey. The 76ers have a lot of star power, but their biggest offensive threat is arguably Maxey, who can hit shots from anywhere on the court and can use his quickness with the ball to get to where he wants. I would expect Ausar Thompson to draw the Tyrese Maxey matchup which will allow Cade Cunningham to guard Jaylen Brown since he has the size to keep up with him.
I am not really sure what the Pistons are going to do about the Joel Embiid matchup. Paul Reed is outsized by him and also can have some issues with fouling and Joel Embiid has made a living off of bating fouls throughout his career. Paul Reed is going to have to stay disciplined, as I don’t think the Pistons can afford to have heavy minutes of John Collins at center or Tolu Smith. I have full confidence in the Pistons’ ability to matchup with the rest of the 76ers starting lineup, but the most concern I have is this matchup and it very well could swing the game.
If there is one certainty for the Pistons, it is that Cade Cunningham is difficult to slow down, especially with how he is playing now. He is coming off a 33 points masterclass against the Charlotte Hornets on Monday in only 27 minutes where he absolutely took over the game and turned a single-digit lead into a 20-plus point blowout. Cade Cunningham always starts off the season slow, but he seems to be hitting his stride now. His 3-ball is consistently falling as he is shooting 37% from beyond the arc, which is a significant development for his offensive creation abilities and efficiency.
He is going to have to put together another masterclass if the Pistons want any hope to win this game. During Jalen Duren’s absence, the Pistons have been able to win games through their high-level defense, but their offense has left a lot to be desired. With Isaiah Joe out and Duncan Robinson going through a bit of a cold stretch, the Pistons shooting fell off a bit and they went four games in a row scoring 110 points or less.
However, everything seemed to get back on track on Monday against the Hornets, so hopefully that continues.
One player the Pistons are hoping gets back on track is John Collins. He had his best game as a Piston in the last game against the 76ers and has proceeded to score single-digit points in every game since then. With Jalen Duren out, he has had to play a lot more center than he was probably planning on playing, but he has also had difficulties finding a consistent offensive role. Another big John Collins game would be a huge help in this matchup
The Joel Embiid matchup concerns me with the Pistons lack of frontcourt size, but if they can defend Tyrese Maxey like they did in the last matchup, they have a shot to takedown the 76ers and claim the top seed in the Eastern Conference.
Lineups
Detroit Pistons (6-1): Cade Cunningham, Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, John Collins, Paul Reed
Philadelphia 76ers (7-1): Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Jaylen Brown, LeBron James, Joel Embiid
Question of the Day
Which of these teams will finish higher in the Eastern Conference at the end of the season?
The strange saga concerning the playing status of veteran forward Kristaps Porzingis continues, as the Golden State Warriors are reportedly not paying his $20 million salary for the 2025-26 season because he is not playing.
ESPN.com reported on Wednesday, Nov. 4 that the non-payment stems from Porzingis not rendering services to the team or fulfilling his contract. Porzingis has not played yet this season because of an undisclosed illness that the team has yet to clarify.
The Warriors can seek to trade Porzingis before the Feb. 11 trade deadline, as Porzingis has reportedly leaned toward retirement. The salary for the 31-year-old still counts against the salary cap and any tax apron that the Warriors could possibly pay.
Porzingis' two-year, $40 million deal expires at season's end, making him a prime trade candidate and allowing any acquiring team to shed salary on its own roster to create a roster spot, possibly for a playoff push. According to the report, Golden State is not currently entertaining voiding the remainder of his contract.
Porzingis' timeline in Golden State
The Hawks traded Porzingis to Golden State for Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield on Feb. 5, 2026. He played only 15 games with the Warriors and 32 games overall in the 2025-26 season.
Golden State saw enough potential to sign him to a two-year, $40 million extension in June, which came with a player option for the 2027-28 season. He was guaranteed $20 million for this season, but only $3 million was guaranteed in the last year of the deal.
Before training camp started, general manager Mike Dunleavy was called by Porzingis, who informed him he was stepping away from the team.
The team then said Porzingis would be around as he recovered from his illness, but he wouldn't play because of that medical condition.
In 12 NBA seasons, Porzingis has averaged 19.5 points and 7.6 rebounds for the New York Knicks, Dallas Mavericks, Washington Wizards and Boston Celtics, along with the Hawks and Warriors.
PITTSBURGH, PA - OCTOBER 24: Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins skates during the game against the Nashville Predators at PPG PAINTS Arena on October 24, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Another night, another winnable game flushed down the toilet for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
They played a strong 5-on-5 game against one of the best teams in the league, but went 0-for-6 on the power play, failed to record a shot on goal on an extended 5-on-3 with three minutes to play in regulation, immediately took a penalty after, and then allowed Vegas to score its second power play goal of the game in the closing seconds to turn a 2-1 third period lead into a 3-2 regulation loss.
Honestly, a brutal night, and continues a start that has seen the Penguins win just two of their first 15 games in regulation (and only five games overall) and sit in 15th place (by points percentage) in the Eastern Conference and in 28th place across the NHL.
A few thoughts on all of that.
1. I said this a couple of weeks ago in a similar random thoughts post, but if you were on the train of the Penguins having a down year for draft pick positioning to get the potential future star they need, this might be your year.
We are more than a month into the season.
American Thanksgiving is just a couple of weeks away.
Teams that start off like the Penguins have do not typically make the playoffs. It is getting very late, very early in that regard.
When the season began there were a lot of variables that were going to make or break the Penguins outlook for the 2026-27 season. There was a reasonably high ceiling if a lot of things went right. There was a reasonably low floor if a lot of those things went in the opposite direction. Right now a lot of them are not going right.
2. High on that list is the play of defenseman Declan Carlile. It seems like every time something bad happens, he is at the center of it. That is especially true late in games, in high-leverage situations. The Penguins coaching staff seems to have complete trust in him, and there is not much at this point to validate that trust. I could see what the Penguins were doing with him when they signed him, and what the hope was. I had some hopes for it and thought he had a chance to be a good player. So far, it’s going poorly and I’m not sure how you keep running him out there.
3. Next on the list is Andrei Kuzmenko, and this one is becoming an especially big problem because you do have other people that can easily step in and replace him.
Look, I want the guy to do well. For a lot of reasons. But right now, no matter what spot they put him in, it’s an empty spot. They are not getting anything out of it. He has one assist and nine shots on goal in 11 games. Avery Hayes can bring some energy. Rutger McGroarty could use another look. Hell, even when Elmer Soderblom is healthy enough to play again he should be an option for something in the lineup.
4. If there is a positive development through all of this, and including Tuesday’s game, it is that the first line seems to have found some life. The past two games from them have been, by far, their two best games of the season, and Sidney Crosby has looked more like Sidney Crosby. And now that they seem to be back, everything else has fallen off. Not ideal.
5. Going back to the first point here, I have been workshopping a theory that the best path forward for a rebuild (and I will still argue with anyone in a steel cage match that this IS a rebuild, even if it is not what you thought it would look like in terms of gutting everything down to the ground) is having a random bad year with a roster that isn’t completely gutted. I still need to look into this more. I still need to research it more. But the theory is mostly based around the idea that a lot of this is just luck and good timing.
It’s not enough to just intentionally get really bad for a year or two and get a No. 1 overall pick and a few more high picks around that and wait for Stanley Cups to roll in.
You have to get the RIGHT No. 1 overall pick, and it has to be in the right situation.
This is especially true with the new lottery format and the new lottery rules where the worst record could result in you picking as low as third overall.
Or not being quite bad enough to finish with the worst record to even guarantee that. Maybe you’re only the second-or third-worst team in the league and end up picking fifth or sixth.
If you get your team down to the studs in the hopes landing that next franchise player, it has to be a true generational talent like a Crosby, an Ovechkin, or a McDavid.
Even a really good, or potentially “great” player (Connor Bedard? Rasmus Dahlin?) isn’t going to be enough to make up for how far your organization has to come back. I think that’s why you’re seeing so many of these teams that have gone into these full-scale tanking rebuilds over the past 10-15 years that have never been able to claim out of it. Or are still so far away from climbing out of it. Chicago. San Jose. Detroit. These teams still mostly stink. Look at how long it took Buffalo. It’s taken Ottawa eight years just to become a fringe wild-card team. Anaheim has great young forwards, but it’s not close to a contender.
The closest player any of those teams have to a Crosby/Ovechkin/McDavid level player is Macklin Celebrini, and while he is GREAT, he is still a tier below those guys.
The key, I think, is having one of those bad years that isn’t necessarily an “intentional” tank, getting yourself a top pick, and having that pick come into an environment where there are still NHL-caliber players around and there isn’t as much building to be done.
That’s kind of what happened with Colorado and when it landed Nathan MacKinnon.
That’s kind of what happened with Carolina when it ended up with Andrei Svechnikov.
That’s kind of what happened with Tampa Bay and Steven Stamkos.
Even though those teams ended up with really high picks and franchise players, they were not situations where it was a full-scale tear down. They were not coming into situations where it was going to take a decade to build it back up around them. Those teams still had really good NHL players on them, and were reasonably competitive teams within the previous two or three years.
That’s kind of why I am intrigued by the Islanders with Matthew Schaefer and Toronto with Gavin McKenna. They got their superstars, but they didn’t intentionally light their entire organization on fire to do it. It just kind of happened naturally, and there are still good players around them. They might not be contenders right now, but I want to see how the next few years go for them as opposed to, say, Chicago.
I know Penguins fans like to point to how the Penguins landed Mario Lemieux and Crosby, but those are NHL environments that no longer exist, and circumstances that can never be duplicated. The Crosby situation was an insane sequence of events that had a different lottery format than now, and required a completely lost season from the league to give them the lottery odds they needed … and it all happened around the best prospect since Lemieux entering the league. It was a perfect storm you will never, ever duplicate. You can not. You will not.
Lemieux happened before the draft lottery (and even then it took six years to pay off on a team level).
You are never repeating that again.
Teams that try to repeat aren’t succeeding.
Maybe this Penguins team is bad. Maybe it gets a lottery puck. If it does, they are still going to have competent NHL players on the roster around it and a nearly clean salary cap slate in the coming seasons.
Maybe this team being organically bad is the best thing that could possibly happen.
