Lakers star Luka Doncic reacts after scoring during the third quarter of a 131-125 win over the Toronto Raptors at Crypto.com Arena on Sunday. (Scott Strazzante / Associated Press)
With nine new players on the roster still working on maximizing their on-court chemistry, the Lakers are taking a patient approach to the start of the NBA season.
For now, it looks as if they’re fine with following Luka Doncic‘s lead.
The Lakers’ star had another sensational performance, finishing with 45 points in a 131-125 victory over the Toronto Raptors at Crypto.com Arena on Sunday night.
Doncic was key in helping the Lakers build a 26-point lead in the third quarter. He shot 12 for 23 on the night, going eight for 12 from three-point range. He made all of his 13 free throws and also had 15 rebounds, six assists and five steals.
Not bad for 35 minutes of work on Doncic bobblehead giveaway night.
And his teammates did follow his lead, with Austin Reaves collecting 19 points and Walker Kessler producing a double-double with 16 points on six-for-six shooting and 15 rebounds to go along with three blocks. Collin Sexton came off the bench to score 14 points. Rookie Cameron Carr played his first game of the season, but he didn’t score.
The Lakers were sloppy with the basketball, turning it over 22 times. Scottie Barnes finished with 29 points and six rebounds for Toronto (3-3).
In the eyes of Lakers coach JJ Redick, each game the Lakers (5-2) play is a step in a process aimed at becoming a championship-contending team.
“Frankly, this entire season is about becoming a great team,” Redick said. “Like, we believe we can become a great team and I think as coaches, players, we all have to participate in patience with that. Doesn’t mean you allow things to happen and say, ‘Oh, that’s fine. That’s OK.’ No. No. No. You address those things. I think the guys are very, very open to that dialogue, both with each other and with the coaching staff.”
Lakers star Luka Doncic prevents the ball from going out of bounds in front of Toronto forward Scottie Barnes during the first half Sunday at Crypto.com Arena. (Scott Strazzante / Associated Press)
Doncic is certainly doing his part to bring a championship mood to L.A. He made a three-pointer with 0.5 seconds left before halftime to give the Lakers a 66-54 lead. He blew a kiss to the fans and waved his hand toward them, prompting cheers from the crowd.
The Lakers play the Miami Heat at home Monday night.
Injury update
Ziaire Williams missed his third consecutive game, but Redick said a scan on the forward’s ailing left foot was “clean.”
“I would describe it [as] soreness that just pops up in the morning and he’s feeling a lot better,” Redick said. “I think just being, again, cautious with the back to back.”
Given all of the injuries the Pittsburgh Penguins have dealt with so far this season, it comes as no surprise that there has been a ton of roster movement.
And they made another move Sunday.
The Penguins re-assigned forward Rutger McGroarty to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) Penguins, their AHL affiliate. McGroarty, 22, had been kept on the NHL roster as an extra forward for Thursday's game against the Utah Mammoth and for Saturday's road tilt against thhe Montreal Canadiens, although he did not appear in either game.
McGroarty suited up for WBS on Sunday, when the Penguins defeated the Hershey Bears, 5-0, registering a goal in the contest.
The 22-year-old forward was recalled by the Penguins on Oct. 22 after Bryan Rust and Ben Kindel were both placed on injured reserve. Rust will be out for six weeks retroactive to that date, while Kindel has since returned after experiencing a vasovagal episode on the team plane Oct. 20.
McGroarty has played in only two NHL games this season and has registered no points. He made the NHL roster out of training camp but did not appear in game action before being sent back, instead playing in two games after Rust and Kindel were placed on IR. He has four goals and nine points in 34 career NHL games.
In seven games for WBS this season, McGroarty has recorded five goals and 10 points.
Mitch Starc and Josh Hazlewood also rested ahead of busy summer
Mahli Beardman and Lachlan Shaw set to make their team debuts
Test captain Pat Cummins and fellow quicks Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood will be rested during Australia’s upcoming one-day and T20 series against England.
Australia will play three ODIs and five T20 internationals, but Cummins, Starc and Hazlewood were not named in either squad on Monday as the pace trio refresh for a gruelling 10 Tests in 14 weeks this summer.
The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins responded in a big way on Sunday after blowing Friday's game against Utica.
Despite getting badly outshot, WBS blitzed Hershey 5-0 and is back in the win column. Melvin Fernstrom got things started with a sick highlight-reel goal in the first period.
Fernstrom went right through two Hershey players and went forehand-to-backhand for a sick goal.
The party was just getting started for the Penguins as Bill Zonnon scored later in the period to make it 2-0. He went to the net and stuffed the puck home, doubling the Penguins' lead. It's his second goal in as many games, and he now has five to start the season.
Zonnon's net-front game is one of the most underrated aspects of his play, and it won't be long before he makes his NHL debut.
Jake Livanavage unleashed a heck of a shot early in the second period that hit Rutger McGroarty on the way in, making it 3-0. Livanavage has been off to a strong start, compiling two goals and eight points in his first nine AHL games.
He was signed at the end of the 2025-26 season, and the NHL club hopes he can develop into an everyday NHL defenseman.
Mikhail Ilyin made it 4-0 at the end of the second period before Rafael Harvey-Pinard made it 5-0 early in the third period. WBS ran out the rest of the clock to earn the shutout win, improving to 5-4-1-0 to start the year.
Goaltender Taylor Gauthier earned a 43-save shutout and is now 4-1 to start the year with a 2.02 goals-against average and a .939 save percentage. He has more than earned this opportunity in WBS and is making the most of it.
WBS will now have a few days off before playing a road back-to-back against the Charlotte Checkers on Friday and Saturday.
The Warriors managed to get the win in the most recent game to split the season series at one game apiece. Despite the win, Lendeborg wasn’t much of a factor. He was held to six points, one rebound and five turnovers before fouling out in 24 minutes of play.
"I had no impact on the game whatsoever (on Friday), and then the depth came in, and they took care of everything," Lendeborg told reporters. "Me having the worst game of my life, it's awesome to be able to see that those guys are there to just do what they have to do cause we're all in the NBA."
Here’s how Lendeborg performed in the Warriors' win against the Clippers, a game in which he scored the most points by a Warriors rookie since Steph Curry in 2010:
The Los Angeles Lakers put away the Toronto Raptors, thanks in no small part to another monster game from Luka Dončić, who scored 45 points and filled up the stat sheet as he continues to make an early-season case for MVP honors.
Coming off a disappointing loss to the Golden State Warriors on Friday, Oct. 30, in which they faded after a fast start, the Lakers returned to Crypto.com Arena Sunday, Nov. 1 and got off to a fast start, with Dončić being particularly active on both ends of the floor. The Slovenian superstar finished the first half with 24 points, eight rebounds, four assists and a career-high five steals – four of which came in the first quarter.
"Luka doesn't get enough credit for his defense," Lakers center Walker Kessler said. "He's a very high IQ individual when it comes to being on the court, so his positional defense, just being in the right spots at the right time, is really good and it showed tonight."
Then there's also a bit of history he made: Dončić became the first NBA player in the play-by-play era (since 1997-98) with 20 points, five rebounds, five three-pointers and five steals in a half and the first point guard in NBA history with five steals and five three-pointers in a half.
Luka Dončić is the first NBA player in the play-by-play era (since 1997-98) with 20 points, 5 rebounds, 5 3-pt FG and 5 steals in a half 😲
The six-time All-Star and two-time scoring champ finished the game with eight 3-pointers, one shy of his career high.
Dončić was on quadruple-double watch early, especially with his five first-half steals, but he was not able to add to that category. Still, he finished with his second double-double of the season and his fourth in a row scoring at least 35 points even as the Raptors clawed their way back from a big deficit by outscoring the Lakers 43-27 in the fourth quarter.
It remains unclear if Dončić will play in the second game of a back-to-back on Monday against the Miami Heat.
"I got to get rest, a cold tub, a massage, and rest and see you tomorrow," Dončić told Spectrum SportsNet after the game on Sunday night.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Pyotr Kochetkov’s 26-save shutout gave him 10 straight victories to begin the season, Sean Walker scored two goals, and Carolina beat the Winnipeg.
Kochetkov became the third goalie in NHL history to start a season at 10-0.
Sebastian Aho, Juuso Valimaki, Logan Stankoven, Mark Jankowski and Jesperi Kotkaniemi also scored for the Hurricanes, who’ve won four in a row. Stankoven, Seth Jarvis, Nikolaj Ehlers and Shayne Gostisbehere all had two assists.
Kochetkov tied Carey Price’s 10-win mark with Montreal from 10 years ago for the second-longest season-opening streak.
Only Jack Campbell holds a longer season-beginning mark with 11 consecutive victories for the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2020-21.
Kochetkov’s second shutout of the season pushed his career total to 13 in 135 games.
The Jets have lost nine games in a row (0-7-2). Stuart Skinner, who made 12 saves, was pulled after allowing the fifth goal. Clay Stevenson stopped 13 shots in relief.
OILERS 4, RANGERS 1
NEW YORK (AP) — Connor McDavid scored a goal and extended his NHL record season-opening assists streak to 15 games, powering the Edmonton Oilers past the New York Rangers 4-1 on Sunday.
On his first shift, McDavid added to his highlight reel and showed why he is considered the best hockey player in the world. He banked the puck off the boards to himself, shifted into another gear, blew past defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov and beat Dylan Garand.
The goal 50 seconds in broke a tie with two Hall of Famers: the 418th of his career passed Glenn Anderson for the fourth most in franchise history, and his eighth in the first minute of a game put him past Mark Messier for the most with the Oilers. McDavid is the fastest player in league history to 30 assists, leads all scorers with 39 points and is on pace to join Wayne Gretzky as the only players to reach 200 in a season.
Evan Bouchard had a goal and two assists to join Bobby Orr, Al MacInnis and Denis Potvin as the only defensemen with 25-plus points in his first 15 games. Journeyman goaltender Matt Tomkins, making his first start for Edmonton and seventh in the NHL, backstopped the team to its third consecutive victory by making some important saves among his 27.
WILD 5, CAPITALS 1
WASHINGTON (AP) — Quinn Hughes and Michael McCarron scored in the first 5:27 for Minnesota, and the Wild held on for a victory over Washington.
Justin Sourdif scored the only goal for Washington in the dying seconds of the second period, but the Capitals’ three-game winning streak came to an end during this visit by the Central Division-leading Wild.
Maxim Shabanov’s power-play goal with 2:23 left in the third restored a two-goal margin, and Kirill Kaprizov added an empty-netter for his 500th career point and league-leading 15th goal of the season.
With 24.9 seconds left and the goalie back in, Danila Yurov scored one more for Minnesota.
Washington had scored at least four goals in five of its previous six games, but the Capitals ran into a stingy Minnesota team and goalie Jesper Wallstedt. The Wild permitted two goals or fewer for the fifth time in six games.
FLYERS 6, MAMMOTH 3
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Travis Konecny scored a goal and assisted on another in his first game since missing more than three weeks with an injury as Philadelphia beat Utah.
Konecny, who missed 10 games with a lower-body injury, scored his first goal of the season at 1:06 of the second period, banking a shot off Utah goalie Karel Vejmelka to put Philadelphia up 2-1.
He later set up Christian Dvorak for a one-timer from the high slot to extend the lead to 4-1. Konecny also set the tone with his physical play, finishing with four hits. Owen Tippett, who missed the last six games with an upper body injury, also returned to the lineup for Philadelphia.
Matvei Michkov scored the Flyers’ first goal, snapping a shot past Vejmelka for his 10th of the season. He became the first Flyer to score 10 goals in his first 17 games of a season since Konecny did it in 2023.
Dvorak and Noah Cates also finished with a goal and an assist each. Oliver Bonk added a goal for Philadelphia and Dan Vladar made 19 saves as the Flyers snapped a three-game winless streak (0-2-1).
DUCKS 6, SENATORS 3
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Cutter Gauthier had his second career hat trick, scoring the go-ahead goal early in the third period, and Anaheim overcame a three-goal deficit to beat Ottawa.
Judd Caulfield scored twice, rookie Roger McQueen added another and Leo Carlsson had three assists to help the Ducks win for the second time in nine games. Anaheim went 4 for 5 on the power play.
Laurent Brossoit made 20 saves in his Anaheim debut. Brossoit played his second NHL game in three seasons after being recalled from San Diego of the AHL on Saturday.
Claude Giroux had a goal and an assist as the Senators lost for the third time on a five-game trip. Thomas Chabot and Michael Amadio also scored first-period goals while Jonas Johansson made 27 saves.
After the Ducks rallied to tie it at 3 in the second period, they took advantage of a two-man advantage at 1:50 of the third when Gauthier scored from a sharp angle past Johansson. While still on a man advantage, Gauthier scored 36 seconds later for a two-goal cushion.
Right before the start of this season, former Montreal Canadiens defenseman Justin Barron placed on waivers by the Nashville Predators and claimed by the St. Louis Blues.
Barron being placed on waivers came after he had nine assists in 52 games during the 2025-26 season with the Predators. Overall, he had a quiet campaign last year, but he is now impressing after getting this fresh start with the Blues.
In 11 games this season with the Blues, Barron has also recorded two goals, six assists, eight points, and a plus-6 rating. With numbers like these, the former Canadiens defenseman is providing a new amount of offense for the Blues early on this season.
Barron is not showing signs of slowing down right now, either. He has recorded two goals and seven points over his last five games for St. Louis. This included him putting together a four-point game against the Vegas Golden Knights on Oct. 23.
With this, it is clear that Barron is fitting in very nicely with the Blues. It will be interesting to see if the former Canadiens defenseman can keep this kind of play up from here.
In 109 games over four seasons with the Canadiens from 2021-22 to 2024-25, Barron recorded 13 goals, 18 assists, 31 points, and a minus-11 rating.
Flemings will sit out one game without pay after the league ruled that he intentionally elbowed New Orleans Pelicans guard Bryce McGowens in the head during their matchup on Saturday, Oct. 31.
The rookie made contact with McGowens in back-to-back plays in the Hawks' 121-99 loss at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. With just over three minutes left in the fourth quarter, Flemings drove for a layup and his elbow hit McGowens in the face as the defender blocked the shot.
Trey Murphy III grabbed the rebound from Flemings' miss and tossed the ball to Zion Williamson. The two-time All-Star tossed it back to Murphy, who slammed home a dunk to make the score 119-93. In the background, Flemings threw an elbow at McGowens' head as they were following the play downcourt. The two teams scuffled at center court.
Atlanta Hawks guard Kingston Flemings has been suspended one game without pay for intentionally elbowing New Orleans Pelicans guard Bryce McGowens in the head. He’ll serve his suspension tomorrow against the Indiana Pacers. pic.twitter.com/gLM3GPvcyp
Kingston Flemings drives to the rim, unintentionally elbows Bryce McGowens in the face, who still manages to block him, and Trey Murphy III soars for the alley-oop dunk off a lob by Zion Williamson, and a kerfuffle erupts.
Upon review, Flemings was given a technical foul and ejected from the game. The Pelicans' Julian Reese was also handed a technical foul "for not being a peacemaker during the melee."
Flemings, who is averaging 7.1 points per matchup in seven games off the bench, spoke to reporters after the loss and explained how frustration got the best of him.
"Upset we were losing the game, so definitely apologize for that," he said. "Gotta be smarter than that."
He will sit out the Hawks' road game against the Indiana Pacers on Monday, Nov. 2.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - FEBRUARY 24: (L-R) Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks talks with Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers after the game at Rocket Arena on February 24, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers defeated the Knicks 109-94. 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. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Knicks (2-4) head into the first full week of November with a mixed slate that starts soft and gets progressively harder. Two home dates against basement-dwellers offer a chance to build momentum and pad the win column, but the road finale against an Eastern Conference rival looms as the team’s next measuring stick. How New York fares will say a lot about where this group stands after a choppy 2-4 start. Or not. The season’s still young.
Monday, November 2 – Knicks vs Brooklyn Nets, 7:30 PM ET (MSG)
The week opens the week with a home date against a struggling Nets squad that finally notched a win on Sunday (98-90 at Indiana) after opening 0-5. Brookly has been one of the conference’s weakest teams so far, ranking near the bottom in most major categories (except pace; these youngins are quick!). They allow a high volume of points, but the addition of familiar face Julius Randle and some young pieces has produced occasional competetive stretches, including a close overtime loss to Boston.
In this, their first meeting of the season, the Knicks should control the glass at Madison Square Garden against a spunky group still chasing consistency at both ends. The home crowd, hungry for winning basketball, and Jalen Brunson’s midrange game should set the tone early.
Wednesday, November 4 – Knicks vs Chicago Bulls, 7:30 PM ET (MSG)
A quick turnaround brings the Bulls back to Madison Square Garden. “The Bulls again?” you ask. Yessir, our heroes already handled the Chi-Guys 133-127 on the road last week, thanks to Brunson’s 38 points that helped to flip a 19-point deficit. The Bulls are 1-5 and have lost four straight, struggling defensively while leaning on newcomer Caleb Wilson, Josh Giddey and Norman Powell for production.
As we’ve seen, Chicago’s youth and athleticism can create transition problems and second-chance opportunities, but their defensive rating has been poor and the sloppiness of youth continues to surrender easy looks. The Knicks should impose their physical side again and not let Chicago jump so far ahead in their rematch. A 19-point comeback might not be so easily attainable this time around.
Saturday, November 7 – Knicks at Cleveland Cavaliers, 8:00 PM ET (NBA TV / MSG)
The week closes with a road test against one of the east’s top teams. The Cavaliers sit at 4-2 and have been scoring efficiently (top-tier offensive numbers) behind Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, and James Harden. Their defense hasn’t caught up yet, however. As of this writing, they’re 20th in the league for points allowed and 17th for defensive rating.
Cleveland’s length and ability to switch or protect the rim will challenge the Knicks’ half-court sets. You’ll recall that New York is a little thin at the center position. James Wiseman has played just three of six games thus far, and has sat for two straight. Against the twin towers of Jarrett Allen and Mobley, Knicks coach Mike Brown might find it necessary to deploy Wiseman for a few minutes. The Rocket Arena crowd could be a factor, too. This is the toughest of the three games as both teams try to establish themselves in a competitive Eastern Conference. Cleveland is still smarting from from the Knicks sweeping them in the Eastern Conference Finals, so don’t think they haven’t circled this on the calendar. Everyone wants a swing at the champs this season.
Atlanta Hawks rookie Kingston Flemings threw a cheap-shot elbow to the face of the Pelicans' Bryce McGowens late in the Pelicans' win Saturday night and will serve a one-game suspension without pay, the league announced.
The play came after (not during) a Flemings drive to the rim against McGowens, where McGowens blocked Flemings' layup attempt, leading to a Pelicans transition bucket the other way. Something largely missed by the broadcasts was Flemings elbowing McGowen in the face as they ran back up the court — that got him a technical and ejection.
This is the dirty elbow off the ball that Kingston Flemings hit Bryce McGowens with, and this is why he got ejected.
Both the Pelicans and Hawks broadcasts missed it at first.
Flemings, the No. 8 pick in last June's draft (and the Hawks hope to be the point guard of the future), is averaging 7.1 points and 4.6 assists a game off the bench for Atlanta, and dropped 23 on Miami in a game last week.
On Saturday afternoon, the Detroit Red Wings snatched defeat from the jaws of victory, failing to protect a two-goal third-period lead against the St. Louis Blues.
The Red Wings, who led 4-2 near the midway point of the game's final frame, took their foot off the gas, and the Blues took full advantage with three unanswered tallies - including two in 18 seconds - en route to a 5-4 win.
Making matters even more disappointing is that the Red Wings had held St. Louis at bay for much of the game, limiting them to only a single shot on goal during the first period.
But despite his goals-against average and save percentage taking a hit after allowing five goals on just 15 shots, goaltender John Gibson shouldn't be blamed for the loss, according to head coach Todd McLellan.
"First one, no chance," McLellan said, recapping the goals scored by the Blues. "Second one was off the back post on the rim, really no chance. Two lasers from the hashmarks, one was a one-timer, and the last one was a tip-in.
You can look at five (goals) on 15 (shots against), and it's not going to show up really well in his numbers column," McLellan said. "You know, maybe get one of them. But don't pin that on John Gibson by any means."
Gibson was beaten cleanly by both Pavel Buchnevich and Justin Barron in the third period, both of whom fired blasts past his blocker; the game-winning goal just 18 seconds after Barron tied the game was deflected by Aleksanteri Kaskimaki, who was credited for his first NHL goal.
Last season, Gibson experienced a sluggish start in what was his first campaign with the Red Wings before going on an absolute heater in December, putting himself in the conversation for the Vezina Trophy.
So far this season, the veteran goaltender whom Detroit acquired last summer from the Anaheim Ducks has gone 4-5-1 with a 3.37 goals-against average and a .860 save percentage.
Right now, the Red Wings hope that they'll soon start seeing the version of Gibson from large portions of last season, during which he was one of the best players at the position in the NHL.
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Few positions in Australia’s Test batting order have come under greater scrutiny in recent times than No.3, the home of Marnus Labuschagne for the best part of seven years.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - OCTOBER 27: Luke Kornet #7 of the San Antonio Spurs handles the ball during the game against the Sacramento Kings on October 27, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. 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 (Photos by Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Spurs have rallied after losing their first two games of the season, rattling off four wins in a row. They are starting to round into form while still having room for growth, looking like the contender their talent suggests they can be, through ups and downs.
Among the areas that still need improvement is the play of the second unit. And among the reserves, Luke Kornet has been getting a lot of scrutiny, as he hasn’t bounced back to the form he showed last year and now has an exciting rookie behind him who has looked productive in limited minutes.
In the Spurs’ latest win against the shorthanded Timberwolves, Kornet looked good, but his solid performance won’t completely get him off the hook from those who might want to see Tarris Reed Jr. get a chance to fight for the backup center spot as soon as possible.
While the rookie should get his opportunity if Kornet continues to struggle, for now, being patient with the veteran seems like the right move.
The offense is terrible with Kornet on the floor, but it’s not necessarily his fault
It’s always tricky to put too much stock in advanced numbers with so few minutes to go by, but they are not kind to Kornet. The Spurs score just 100.5 points per 100 possessions when he’s on the floor, a ghastly number. His limitations on that end are well-known, and it doesn’t feel like he has developed any other tools, such as a floater, to change that. His strengths, however, are also clear and are not insignificant.
Kornet is a good screener. In just 14.6 minutes a game, he’s averaging 2.7 screen assists, the 18th most in the league, and those screen assists are resulting in six points per game, the 25th-best mark in the league. Now, screen assists tend to be higher for limited role-playing centers who don’t get the ball back after initially freeing their ball-handler. There’s a reason why Victor Wembanyama averages fewer despite playing over twice as many minutes as Luke: Wemby screens, then the guards find him, and Wemby scores. The Alien leads the league in plays finished as the pick-and-roll dive man, which makes sense. Luke can’t do that. Context is important.
Still, the screening is good, as anyone who has watched Kornet play can attest to, and while he doesn’t finish after a pass, he has another skill that he can use after setting them: grabbing offensive rebounds. His offensive rebound percentage has dipped slightly from last year, but it’s still very good.
So if Kornet is doing his job on offense, why are the Spurs struggling to score when he’s on the floor? First, he’s currently posting an uncharacteristically high turnover percentage that is bound to come down significantly. He’s been fumbling passes and losing offensive boards, and while he’ll always do that to an extent, there’s simply no way he continues to do it at the pace his done it so far. If he somehow does, he won’t only be out of the rotation but out of the league soon. Second, the Spurs are shooting very few threes per possession when he’s on the floor (in part explained by the fact that Kornet doesn’t take them) while also connecting on just 33.2 percent of them. When Kornet is off the floor, that number climbs to 35.9 on more attempts.
There’s a decent chance the Spurs simply start shooting better when Kornet is on the floor, and there’s no way his turnover percentage remains as high, considering his usage. Mitch Johnson should try giving Reed Jr. some minutes whenever possible, but prematurely giving up on Kornet because of the offense’s struggles would be unwise.
The defense’s big problem seems more related to lineups than whoever plays center
If the offense was the only issue, there would be little reason to demote Kornet. The problem is, the Spurs have also been horrendous on defense, both by the numbers and the eye test, when Wembanyama is not on the floor. A big decline in efficiency is obviously expected when the best defender of his generation rests, but so far, it’s been precipitous. No one expects Kornet to match Wemby, but a 22-point swing in points allowed per 100 possessions is simply too big and not even close to the more reasonable seven-point swing from last season.
Even though the numbers should normalize with more minutes, Kornet just hasn’t looked good out there. Still, he’s rebounding at a decent level, but the Spurs are allowing a lot of second-chance points when he’s on the floor anyway, and while his allowing a very low percentage at the rim when he’s the closest defender, other teams’ points in the paint have been high.
Kornet has shared the floor very often with Keldon Johnson, a poor defender, and those minutes have been horrendous. In lineups that feature more of the starters (and once again, the numbers need to be taken with a grain of salt), the defensive rating is much lower. Most other Spurs are also used to playing a very aggressive style of perimeter defense when Wembanyama is around, and Kornet simply can’t cover as much space as Wemby does or erase or deter as many shots at the rim once the ball handler gets past the first line of defense. The new lineups developing familiarity should help.
As with the offense, it seems like Kornet, while partially responsible, is not individually to blame for the bad results. He has not been as good as he was last season so far, but a combination of issues involving the lineups he’s in and some seemingly aberrant numbers that should, on paper, get back to normal with a bigger sample size are likely the biggest reasons for the poor performance of the bench units.
Tarris Reed Jr. could be a better option, but it’s far from a certainty
Whether Kornet can go back to being the version of himself from last season, which was a perfectly good backup in most matchups, is irrelevant if there’s a better option waiting in the wings. If Reed Jr. is simply a superior player, he should be getting Kornet’s minutes.
There are two issues with any claim that he is, however. The first is that he’s untested, which can only be solved by playing him, but the second has to do with the limitations that Reed has displayed so far.
The rookie has shown some touch around the rim and, perhaps more importantly, more ambition in terms of finishing plays when he gets the ball in the paint than the more passive Kornet, but they both share strengths and weaknesses. Kornet is likely the better screener while Reed Jr. is almost certainly a better offensive rebounder, but neither spaces the floor either horizontally, as both have limited range, or vertically, as they are both big but not explosive. Passing has never been Reed Jr.’s biggest strength, so he won’t likely offer another dimension to the offense in that area, at least as a rookie.
Defensively, both Reed Jr. and Kornet are only suited for drop coverage, since their foot speed is limited, and both are at their best close to the rim. While the rookie might offer more energy, that could be a plus when it becomes contagious, but it can also be a negative if it results in chaos. Kornet is likely a better steadying force in that regard due to his experience, while once again Reed Jr. has an edge in rebounding. Both have similarly good cases for the non-Wemby minutes.
If Kornet continues to struggle, Mitch Johnson should absolutely give the rookie some more playing time, but Reed Jr. shouldn’t be considered an automatic upgrade over Kornet that will solve every issue. Especially if the only change the coaching staff makes is to swap the two in the rotation instead of figuring out the other problems with the non-Wembanyama units.
Kornet is far from untouchable, and he might lose his spot eventually. But there’s no rush to make a change now, as the season is long and the Spurs are clearly still a work in progress, trying to figure out more important things than their backup center situation.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Michael Porter Jr. scored 23 points, and Julius Randle had 20 points to lead the Nets to a 98-90 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Sunday night.
Day'Ron Sharpe had a double-double with 15 points and a team-high 13 rebounds for the Nets, who won for the first time this season. The Nets held a 43-37 edge in rebounds.
Andrew Nembhard led the Pacers with 23 points and Pascal Siakam had 17.
The Nets led by 12 three different times in the third quarter, but the Pacers cut the deficit to 75-72 in the first three minutes of the fourth with back-to-back 3-pointers by Larry Nance Jr. and Nembhard. That’s as close as Indiana got the rest of the way.
The Nets shot 38% in the first half but still managed to lead the Pacers 43-40 at halftime. Indiana made just 32% from the field and were just 4 of 20 from 3-point range. Both teams got off to sluggish starts with the Nets taking a 12-10 lead on Randle’s 3-pointer with less than five minutes left in the first quarter. That erased the Pacers’ last lead at 10-9.
Brooklyn pushed the lead to 71-62 after three quarters as both teams shot better in the second half.
The short-handed Pacers were without Obi Toppin, who was out with a lower back injury for the second consecutive game. Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said Toppin is progressing and could play Monday. Indiana is still without Ivica Zubac, who is out with a left ankle sprain. Tyrese Haliburton is expected to be out another 10 days or more with a hamstring strain.
Nets rookie Mikel Brown Jr. sat out for load management to rest back with Brooklyn set to play the New York Knicks Monday night.
