CLEVELAND, OHIO - OCTOBER 24: Tyrese Proctor #24 listens to Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the fourth quarter against the Brooklyn Nets at Rocket Arena on October 24, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavs defeated the Nets 125-121. 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
CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Cavaliers have lost the two fourth quarters they’ve played this season by a combined 24 points. Their poor late-game execution kept them from delivering a statement win over the Philadelphia 76ers on opening night, and it almost cost them again two days later in their home opener against the Brooklyn Nets.
The culprit behind both collapses was the same.
“We lost the possession game by 16,” head coach Kenny Atkinson said after his team narrowly defeated the Nets. “We got to clean up the turnovers.”
Turnovers lead to bad offense. Bad offense leads to bad defense. You combine those together, and 22-point leads can evaporate in a heartbeat, even against an inexperienced Nets team.
“Good offense [is important] because it really helps you guard the ball,” Mario Hezonja said. “Our rhythm is imposed onto the opponent, so it’s much easier to go both ways. The moment you start to have bad turnovers or bad possessions or even bad shots…that impacts a lot of the mental aspect for a player, and it impacts a lot of the defensive side.”
It’s easy to look at the poor fourth quarter in Game 1 last postseason against the New York Knicks and the start of this season, and believe that there’s a mental barrier keeping the Cavs from closing out games. Maybe there is, but at least in these first two games, the Cavs’ issues are very much basketball-related. As was the case in Philadelphia, the Cavs once again struggled to handle ball pressure.
It’s a copycat league. Teams see what works, and then try to replicate it. One wave we’re seeing now is a drastic increase in blitzing defenses. Defenses are more aggressive in how they’re sending doubles and jumping passing lanes than before. That is especially true late in games, when opponents are trailing and are desperate to get back into games. Hence the reason the Cavs are struggling with this so much down the stretch.
“There’s an unpredictability to it,” Donovan Mitchell said. “I think it’s random. The NBA has turned into that as a whole. Indiana really did a great job of it two years ago, and I think everybody followed suit. It was just like, just cause chaos and figure it out. … When you’re picking up full court and randomly trapping, there’s really no scheme for that. It’s like AAU basketball.”
Atkinson has emphasized the need to just “pass to the open man.” That sounds simple enough and is what needs to happen. The problems come when the team isn’t currently capable of doing that.
There are a couple of issues preventing the Cavs from doing so. First, their starting lineup only has two players they trust to operate in these situations with the ball in their hands. Second, there isn’t a good feel for where guys should be on the court when the traps come.
“It’s a different five,” Mitchell said. “[We’re] calling different plays.”
For as frustrating as these first two games have been, the sky isn’t falling — at least not yet. These are things that can be cleaned up.
“There’s no excuses, but we are working on it,” Hezonja said. “There are some new pieces that we added to the team, so this unfortunately takes a little bit of time, but we are working on it. Everything started to mesh better and better, and I hope [that] soon it’s going to look good.”
Time is on the Cavs’ side. The regular season is where you build habits and problem-solve for how teams are going to attack you.
Right now, the book is out on how to disrupt the Cavs: be physical with them at the point of attack and send random double teams at their guards. That is how teams will defend them until the Cavs show they can beat that kind of defense. And from a certain perspective, going through these struggles now instead of in April should benefit them.
“It’s not always going to be perfect,” Mitchell said, “but I think for us, having these first two games…similar but different ways, I think is definitely going to help us in the long run.”
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 23: A general view inside the stadium prior to game one of the 2026 World Series between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on October 23, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Game 2 of the World Series started off with a bang, the Rays jumping out to a 4-0 lead and threatening to tie this thing back up with their ace Drew Rasmussen on the mound. The Brewers had other plans though, and did what they’ve done all postseason long — chip away at any deficit, flip it into a lead and shut down the opposition’s chances to get anything else going. Lo and behold, it worked again and Milwaukee is heading out of town with a 2-0 lead hoping that their next flight back home will be with a trophy in tow. The Rays have certainly threatened in this Fall Classic so it won’t be a cakewalk, especially going into Tropicana Field where they’ve had the best home record in baseball, but the Brew Crew have to like their odds.
It’ll be a busy day here as we close out the weekend, and Matt has contributed heavily to the cause today: he’ll lead off with an extended look at how Game 2 went down last night before covering his own exploits avenging the Yankees’ dismal results by wrecking havoc in some MLB The Show sims, and then rounding it all out with a look at Bobby Brown’s incredible career as a baseball player and a cardiologist. Estevao takes a look at which contract the Yankees would blip out of existence from their current roster if they could, and John ends the day with the weekly social media spotlight.
Today’s Playoff Matchup:
Off-day
Questions/Prompts:
1. Was stealing Game 2 back after falling behind 4-0 in the Rasmussen start a dagger for Milwaukee, or do you expect the Rays to claw their way back into this series?
2. How will Fastball Freddy fare in his World Series debut against his former team?
A quick reminder about the 2026 men’s Rugby League World Cup format.
The 2026 men’s RLWC features ten teams. Eight of these qualified via their performances at the last world cup, back in 2022. That is: Australia, New Zealand, England, Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, PNG, and Lebanon. The first seven countries in that list also happen to be the top seven on the IRL rankings; Lebanon are a lowly 23rd.
The remaining qualifiers, France and Cook Islands, won regional playoffs. Cook Islands are ranked eighth in the world, by the way, France recently held that position but have slipped to 11th. In other words, the cream of the crop will be on display.
The tournament will be played under NRL rules, including six players on the interchange bench with up to four to be used.
The ten teams have been distributed into three pools.
Pool A contains Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, and Cook Islands. The top two from this group qualify for the semi-finals.
The teams in Pool B (England, Samoa, Lebanon) play the teams in Pool C (Tonga, PNG, France) with the top two on a combined group table qualifying for the semi-finals.
The winner of Pool A takes on the runner-up from Pool B&C in Sydney.
The winner of Pool B&C takes on the runner-up from Pool A in Newcastle.
The world cup final is in Brisbane on 15 November.
The group phase will take place over three weekends.
The fourth weekend will feature the semi-finals, with the final wrapping up proceedings the following Sunday.
10 locations will host matches. Eight of these are in Australia: Sydney (Allianz Arena), Sydney (Commbank Arena), Brisbane, Newcastle, Gold Coast, Townsville, Wollongong, and Perth; while Port Moresby will host two Papua New Guinea matches, and Christchurch will stage one New Zealand fixture.
Intrigue has deepened into Marnus Labuschagne’s hold on an Australian Test spot with the under-fire No.3 not in his usual batting rotation in the main nets training session at Newlands on Sunday.
St. Petersburg, FL: New York Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake watches as New York Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole warm-ups in the bullpen session as the New York Yankees practice before the ALDS at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida on Oct 2, 2026. (Photo by William Perlman/Newsday RM via Getty Images) | Newsday via Getty Images
MLB Trade Rumors | Charlie Wright: As my colleague Madison covered in detail yesterday, the Yankees finalized a three-year extension for pitching coach Matt Blake, keeping probably the most important member of their coaching staff in the fold. The Yankees pitching staff boasted the best ERA in the league (3.23), and that has as much to do with Blake’s work with star and presumptive AL Cy Young Cam Schlittler as it has to do with his well-known talent for converting pitchers they acquire into impact relievers, Brent Headrick and Paul Blackburn the foremost examples this season. With Blake continuing in his role and last year’s reunion with assistant pitching coach Desi Druschel, the Yankees’ pitching development factory looks to be in good hands for the near future.
The Big Lead | J.P Hoornstra: The Yankees may have succeeded in retaining Blake, but they lost another influential voice in their pitching room. Spencer Medick, pitching coach for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, has agreed to join the Astros as their new major league director of pitching. It’s a huge promotion for a minor league pitching coach and one that is well deserved given how well Yankees prospects at that level pitched in 2026. Medick helped implement the organization-wide pitching philosophy at the level closest to the majors, and it is no surprise that the Yankees minor league affiliates lapped the field when it came to K-BB%, one of the best publicly available predictive stats for future performance.
SNY | Phillip Martinez: The Yankees’ infield is in need of a major revamp this offseason, though it remains to be seen whether that renovation is forthcoming. We’ve spent the last few days wondering about second base and Jazz Chisholm Jr.‘s future, and today we shift our attention to third. The Yankees have been among the worst teams in the league at third base over the last decade, the platoon of Ryan McMahon and Amed Rosario the latest to disappoint at the hot corner. The most likely course in 2027 would be a platoon between McMahon and Caballero given they are both still under contract, though they could consider shifting Anthony Volpe after he took reps there leading into the postseason. Looking outside the organization, the author considers trade proposals for Eugenio Suárez and Isaac Paredes while also examining the free agent cases of Alec Bohm and Bo Bichette should he opt out of his deal with the Mets.
MLB.com | Sweeny Murti: Almost 70 years after attending the last World Series win in Milwaukee, Joe Torre is back in the city that gave him his shot in baseball watching another Fall Classic. Torre was just a teenager when the Milwaukee Braves defeated the Yankees in seven games in 1957, his older brother a backup first baseman on the winning team. Torre played the first six seasons of his career in Milwaukee for the Braves before the franchise moved to Atlanta, and you can bet the Hall of Fame player and manager is rooting for the home team.
The answer is relatively immaterial, since only one thing matters: The Brewers are up 2-0 in this World Series after a 5-4 Game 2 victory, their second one-run conquest and a most unlikely one given that the club trailed 4-0 after a half-inning.
Or maybe it was totally predictable.
The Brewers are now 9-1 in this postseason and, stunningly, have won seven of eight games in which they have trailed. Relentless. Demoralizing.
Two wins from a World Series championship.
Let’s break down the winners and losers of Game 2 from American Family Field as the Series shifts to the Gulf Coast:
Winner: Brewers bullpen
This is getting ridiculous.
The Rays ran a blitz on Brewers starter Logan Henderson, posting a 4-0 lead after a half-inning, catcher Liam Hicks achieving a career highlight with a two-run World Series home run.
Predictably, Henderson was out after three innings. Perhaps even more easily anticipated: Milwaukee’s bullpen did not give up a single run in six innings, striking out six and walking one.
The Brewers bullpen is now 8-1 with a 1.24 ERA in 50 ⅔ innings this season. Lefty Aaron Ashby recorded the last five outs for the save, running his postseason line to 15 ⅔ innings, zero runs.
"I’ll take this quote from Freddie Freeman: They all throw 100," says Rays outfielder Jonny DeLuca. "That usually is pretty tough and they all got pretty good stuff. They’re just good pitchers."
Ashby is one out shy of equaling Andrew Miller’s record 16-inning scoreless streak to begin the 2016 postseason.
“What he's doing right now is pretty special,” says first baseman Jake Bauers. “There's just such a calm presence on the mound with him right now that I don't remember seeing very often.
“And you know, we wouldn't be here without him.”
There tend to be diminishing returns with relievers in long postseasons; Miller hit the wall badly in the final three games of that 2016 World Series, and conventional wisdom says opponents fare better when they see a reliever multiple times.
Well, Ashby faced the San Diego Padres three times. Same with the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers. And now the Tampa Bay Rays got two looks at him in World Series Games 1 and 2.
Ashby has yet to give up a run. The window to sully him is almost closed.
Sal Frelick: Winner
Say this for Brewers manager Pat Murphy: He can certainly call his shot.
Murphy was asked pregame about Frelick and couldn’t stop gushing, dropping comparisons to Joe Montana and Larry Bird.
“He’s got the it factor,” says Murphy, leaving the observer to use their own imagination.
In the sixth inning, Frelick made it crystal clear. His epic nine-pitch at-bat ended in a 408-foot bullet over the wall in right center field, tying the game 4-4 in the sixth inning. It was his first homer this postseason and perhaps will be remembered as the most impactful longball whenever this Brewers run concludes.
“Sort of this blackout feeling,” says Frelick of his trip around the bases.
And almost lights out for Tampa Bay.
Kevin Cash: Loser
Tough gig, this postseason managing. And losing a pair of World Series games by one run can leave a winter worth of soul-searching.
Not that Cash blatantly pushed the wrong buttons. He just keeps ending up in tight situations and trying to leverage his way out of them.
In Game 2, it was ace Drew Rasmussen suddenly becoming an avatar of inefficiency, the Brewers hen-pecking him by fouling off 22 pitches and forcing him from the game in the fourth inning.
Top lefty reliever Cam Booser had to be summoned then to douse a bases-loaded situaoitn and pitched a scoreless fifth. But Ian Seymour’s fusillade of fastballs backfired when Frelick took him deep.
And lifting Tyler Wells for Kevin Kelly yielded a somewhat predictable result in the seventh inning: Kelly averaged less than a strikeout per inning this season. And Brewers shortstop Cooper Pratt, well, he put the ball in play, dropping a 90-mph sinker into right field to drive in Brice Turang with the go-ahead run.
“Cooper Pratt did a heck of a job staying on the ball, not trying to do too much, and shoot it the other way,” says Cash.
Stolen bases: Winner
The Brewers tallied five, the Rays two. Not to say the Go-Go Era is back in baseball; it was mostly pitcher malfeasance/indifference to keeping runners close.
Nonetheless, the Brewers’ five steals matched the 2024 Yankees in Game 4; the last time a club stole five bases in a World Series game minus today’s freewheeling pickoff rules was 1992, when Atlanta did it thanks to two swipes from none other than Deion Sanders.
The mystery of the check swing: Loser
Yeah, that automated check-swing replay thing is probably a foregone conclusion now, given how this game ended with Yandy Díaz’s arms spread wide in protest after crew chief James Hoye rang him up.
Cash thought Díaz swung, and Yandy generally agreed, though he did drop a couple “It is what it is,” a phrase that drops like a brick in any language.
Still, the call wasn’t nearly as questionable as, say, Wilmer Flores’ NLDS-ending strikeout against Max Scherzer and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Yet in our societal thirst for optimization, we will probably leave those calls up to robots soon enough, too.
Tampa Bay ticket brokers: Loser
Nothing quite like a team coming home in a 2-0 deficit to goose enthusiasm when the club has struggled to sell all tickets, anyway. Seats were still available on the Rays web site - running $675 apiece for the second level.
Suffice to say, the Rays likely won't come near the $2,300 get-in record Milwaukee set for Game 1. But there could be a nice boost in Games 4 and 5 - what with Milwaukeeans wanting to see their team clinch.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - OCTOBER 22: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Philadelphia 76ers reacts during the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Xfinity Mobile Arena on October 22, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Former Boston Celtics teammates Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are both in agreement: there’s no beef, bad blood, or resentment to address.
On Friday night, most of Tatum’s nearly 13-minute-long postgame press conference was dedicated to responding to Brown’s “cap” emoji under an Instagram video clip from Tatum’s ‘Summer of Jayson’ docuseries — where he claimed he was caught off guard by Brown’s trade to the Philadelphia 76ers in July. He denied any existence of beef with Brown, noting several times it was beneath them.
Brown revealed he had heard all of Tatum’s comments after Philadelphia’s 127-116 win over the Milwaukee Bucks.
“I didn’t see the full thing, but I saw that he said there’s no beef, and he’s right,” Brown told reporters on Saturday night, per NBC Sports Philadelphia. “There’s no beef. Jayson comes from a wonderful family. We’ve accomplished some great things. He’s a hell of a basketball player. He’s got a great PR team. There’s no beef, but it might be a little lamb chops and some gravy. He should stay ready at all times.”
Unlike Tatum’s approach at the podium, Brown seemed much more subliminal, which isn’t new.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – OCTOBER 22: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on during the first quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Xfinity Mobile Arena on October 22, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For years, Brown would use similar messaging to vent whether it’d be directed at the NBA, officials, or ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith. But this time it’s not a referee with a whistle or a loudmouth media figure. Tatum was Brown’s right-hand man for nearly a decade, going through 121 playoff games, five trips to the Eastern Conference Finals and two to the NBA Finals. They won a championship in 2024, raising Boston’s long-awaited 18th banner and were poised to ride their careers into the sunset together as one of the Celtics’ all-time duos.
That all changed over the summer.
Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens tried to use Brown to bring Giannis Antetokounmpo from Milwaukee to Boston, and when that failed, it became time for a backup plan. So instead, Stevens shipped Brown to the rival Sixers in exchange for 36-year-old Paul George plus four future draft selections, officially bringing the Tatum-Brown era to an end.
“Like I said, it’s no beef,” Brown reiterated. “The PR and all that type stuff, it is what it is, but I think we’re both focused on what’s in front of us.”
Rather than getting to follow up on his career-best season — a year in which he finished sixth in MVP voting — Brown was forced to take his talents to the City of Brotherly Love to join forces with LeBron James, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.
Coughing up a 3-1 series lead in Game 7 at TD Garden was Brown’s final game in a Celtics uniform.
Tatum sat on the bench with left knee discomfort, and the thousands of Celtics fans in attendance fled TD Garden both disappointed and under the assumption the team would run in back with both Tatum and Brown in 2026-27. And based on Tatum’s reaction in his offseason YouTube docuseries, the 28-year-old foresaw that too.
During the preseason, Brown and Tatum didn’t greet each other during warmups. They went about their pregame routines on opposite sides of the court and didn’t acknowledge one another before going back into the players’ tunnels.
If Brown does accept Tatum’s open invitation for a conversation, he’ll have plenty of opportunities, including four upcoming Celtics-Sixers matchups scheduled this season. The first is set for Nov. 10 in Philadelphia.
“At the end of the day, we gotta do what you gotta do for his team,” Brown said. “I gotta do what I do for my team.”
But, my God, after their latest miraculous comeback, winning 5-4 over the Tampa Bay Rays at frenzied American Family Field, how can they not start dreaming?
They are up 2 games to 0 over the Rays, halfway to their first World Series championship in franchise history.
“Your brain really wants to go there, but you can’t let it," said Brewers pitcher Brandon Woodruff, their longest-tenured player, who has been with the organization since 2014. “You know what I mean? It’s like Kobe Bryant used to say, 'The job is not finished.’ We still got a lot of baseball lot to play.
“But come on, we’re human, how can you not think about it?"
Really, it’s impossible for anyone in the entire state of Wisconsin after what we're witnessing these days.
It happened again Saturday. They were down 4-0 just five batters in the game. They were facing the hottest pitcher in baseball in Drew Rasmussen. And yet, somehow, some way, they’re sitting in their clubhouse, almost laughing that everyone is completely shocked but themselves by what they’re accomplishing.
It sounds completely absurd, but the Brewers have now had seven postseason victories in which they trailed by a combined score of 20-5, only to shut out the opposition the rest of the way by a combined score of 28-0.
Not a single run.
And now, for the second time in their last three postseason games, the Brewers overcame a 4-0 deficit to win, outscoring the Dodgers and Rays, 11-0 in those games.
What in the world is the win probability of that?
“I never look at that," Brewers third baseman David Hamilton said. “I feel like our win probability is 100% every game. I always feel like we’re going to win the game somehow, someway, and we keep doing it."
They way the Brewers look at it, they’ve done it all year, so why stop now?
“I think for us," Brewers second baseman Brice Turang said, “we want to win so badly that it’s never a shock when we win. That’s why we’re here, believing we can win every game, no matter what."
The Brewers became the first team in postseason history to win seven of their first eight games that they’ve trailed.
Is it a miracle?
“No, I just see the Brewers,’’ Woodruff said. “I’ve seen it all year. That’s why we had 103 wins."
Still, it’s almost impossible to explain what’s happening right now in America’s heartland..
The Brewers bullpen is unconscious, yielding a 1.24 ERA this postseason.
Reliever Aaron Ashby has not permitted a run in 15 ⅔ innings, and is the first pitcher in postseason history to get at least five outs in six consecutive appearances without allowing a run.
“He’s a stud, an absolute stud," Woodruff said, “who’s just excelling at the right time."
And outfielder Sal Frelick, who had not hit a home run off a left-handed pitcher since opening day, hits a 403-foot homer over the center-field fence off lefty Ian Seymour to tie the game in the sixth inning, with 43,245 fans at American Family Field screaming so loud that you can hear it in Green Bay.
“I had this weird feeling he was going to do it right there," Woodruff said. “That dude right there personifies our team and the way we play baseball. He never gives in, and neither do we."
Still, a home run, to center field, off a left-handed pitcher, in a World Series game?
Are you kidding?
“Dude, that was sick," Hamilton said. “I had a feeling something good was going to happen."
Frelick only hit four home runs in the regular season, and 21 in his four-year career.
“I’ve never seen him hit a dead-center homer even in BP," Brewers said baseman Jake Bauers said. “I can't be happier for the guy. He deserves that moment. Just talking about it, it’s going to make me cry man.’’
So, has he really never hit a homer to dead center, even in batting practice?
“I’m going to give him the benefit of the doubt," said Brewers hitting coach Daniel Vogelbach: “I think he’s done it. He’s got a little manpower. But it was impressive."
Said Turang: "He’s stronger than people think he is. He’s strong. I think it was everyone’s favorite swing of the season."
If Frelick had done it before, he certainly didn’t realize it was happening this night, running so fast during his home-run trot that he crossed home in just 22 seconds, almost half the time it took Rays third baseman Junior Caminero during his last homer.
“It was sort of this blackout feeling," said Frelick, who actually faced Seymour in college when he played at Boston College with Seymour at Virginia Tech.
Did he think it was gone?
“I've never hit a homer that I thought was gone," said Frelick, “So, no, I didn't.’’
When reminded that it was not only the Brewers’ first home run of the postseason, but the first time their mascot, Bernie Brewer, was able to slide down the chalet in front of the home crowd in World Series history, Frelick was almost speechless.
“No way,’’ he said. “Is that true?"
Yep.
“Wow, that's really cool," Frelick said. “I only made him go down four times this whole year. Cool stat there."
Really, everything the Brewers are doing these days is pretty darn cool, epitomizing a relentlessness that no analytic spreadsheet can define.
Every time you want to count them out, they’re back.
They’re down one minute, and back atop the next.
They have now knocked off three Cy Young winners this postseason with Tarik Skubal, Blake Snell and Robbie Ray, World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and now Rasmussen, who had been unbeatable since August. He yielded a 1.05 ERA in September and a 1.29 ERA in October. He lasted just 3 ⅔ innings, his shortest outing since July 9 against the Yankees.
“Our offense is built to kind of chip away and wear on pitchers," Frelick said, “which I think can be good when you're trying to come back. …I think just having an offense built like that is really good for when you're down. Today, we go down four, we know how good that guy is over there, let's just wear on him, see if we can get him out of the game, get to their bullpen and really break the thing open."
Mission accomplished. Once again.
“We’ve been though this before,’’ Woodruff said. “There’s no panic, you know what I mean. We know we’re going to score runs. And we know we’re going to grind out at-bats. And we know the pitchers are going to put a stop to it.’’
Said Brewers manager Pat Murphy: “Guys, they don't give up. They believe, and they don't give up. They just keep going."
Just ask the Rays about it, whose heads are spinning after these two games.
“They grind every AB, every pitch," Rays outfielder Chandler Simpson said. “They’ve got a lot of fight. They scrap away all nine innings."
Said Rays reliever Liam Hicks: “They don’t give in. They foul off a ton of pitches. They’re not going to chase us out of the zone so you got to stay in the zone. They’re going to spoil pitches until they get theirs. Credit to their hitters. Tough lineup.’’
And perhaps an unbeatable team that may not be stopped until the World Series parade in downtown Milwaukee.
“The confidence we have right now, I’ve never seen anything like it," Bauers said. “Not even close. These guys are relentless, man. We’ve played every single game since he season started just like this one. Relentless. Focused. And nothing more.’’
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - OCTOBER 24: Yaxel Lendeborg #1 of the Golden State Warriors dribbles the ball against Dillon Brooks #3 of the Phoenix Suns during the first half at Mortgage Matchup Center on October 24, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. 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 Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Golden State Warriors fell to 0-3 on Saturday, after losing 131-122 to the Phoenix Suns in the second game of a back-to-back. Despite the result, you can easily make the case that it was Golden State’s most impressive game of the short season, given that they kept it close despite playing without Steph Curry, Draymond Green, Brandin Podziemski, and Al Horford.
But it was still a loss, and it still needs to be graded. As always, grades are based on my expectations for each player, with a “B” grade representing the average performance for that player.
Note: True-shooting percentage (TS) is a scoring efficiency metric that accounts for threes and free throws. Last year, league-average TS was 58.1%.
Was Lendeborg perfect? No. But should you be extremely excited that Golden State’s rookie dropped 26-9-5 with excellent efficiency in just his third career game? Absolutely.
With Curry and Podziemski out, Lendeborg was the team’s first option, and he handled the role brilliantly. He was both patient and aggressive on offense, and didn’t let the heavier workload on that end of the court impact his effort levels on defense or on the glass.
He’s really good. I think, after three games, we can conclude that. The question with Lendeborg — who, as has been discussed ad nauseam over the last few months, is already 24 — is how much better can he get?
Grade: A Post-game bonus: Led the team in points, tied for the team lead in assists.
Not the best Gui performance. His energy and hustle are always welcome in these sort of shorthanded games, where outworking the opponent is the lone path to victory. But he was struggling to score, and often got caught out of position on defense.
Ike had an exciting preseason, and it’s clear the Warriors are high on me. But had you told me that the undrafted rookie, who is signed to a two-way contract, would register a double-double in just his third career game, I’m still not sure I would have believed you.
He wasn’t nearly as efficient as you’d like a center to be, but that was really the only thing you can criticize with his game. He led both teams in rebounding, and played solid defense. He fits within the system so well, and makes quick decisions with and without the ball. It’s pretty clear that he’s going to be a big part of the rotation this year.
Grade: A- Post-game bonus: Led the team in rebounds.
Devin Booker had a true superstar game, scoring 43 points on 17-for-25 shooting. But he got off to a fairly slow start, in large part because of the great defense that Richard was playing on him. Eventually Booker found his rhythm and there was nothing that Richard — or anyone — could do to stop him, but still. Those early minutes were nice!
Richard also did some quality things on offense, with his usual great cutting, and it was nice to see him knock in some threes.
Williams’ third game in a Golden State jersey was far and away his best. And while he was a starter in this game due to Curry and Podziemski not playing, it was the type of performance that showed you exactly why the Warriors brought him in to be a core member of the bench unit.
He can score. My goodness can he score. And he can score in a variety of ways, with a level of quickness and burst that is fairly foreign to the Dubs.
That was all on display in this game, as was a jump shot that he says he put a lot of work into this offseason; he entered this year having shot just 28.0% from deep in his career, so that’s been the one hole in his offensive game.
They’re gonna need this version of him in games they’re more equipped to win.
Grade: A Post-game bonus: Tied for the team lead in assists.
Some solid veteran winning plays by Niang in this one, and I liked what he did on defense. But, for the role that he plays on this team, it’s hard to be productive when you shoot 0-for-5 from deep and turn the ball over three times.
Grade: C Post-game bonus: Best plus/minus on the team.
Melton was awful in the season opener and mediocre in the home opener. But he was absolutely magnificent in this game. He did a phenomenal job replacing the scoring that was lost in Curry’s absence, and while we shouldn’t expect that every time Steph sits, it’s certainly good to know it’s a possibility. Melton had struggled defensively in the first two games of the season, but looked much more like the defender we know in this one, and he controlled the offense with his quarterbacking. Just an awesome game from the veteran.
Grade: A Post-game bonus: Tied for the team lead in assists.
Bassey made his season debut and was absolutely excellent. I’m not sure what the Warriors would have done in this game had he not been able to play, because he was everything they needed. He patrolled the paint with rebounds and rim protection, used craftiness and strength to score, and made countless little winning plays. The first quarter completely shifted when Bassey entered the game, and it seemed to stay that way whenever he was on the court.
Not the best game for Cryer, though it’s always nice to see him get some extended non-garbage time run. He always looks better when his shot is falling, which it wasn’t in this game, and his defense wasn’t too sharp either.
Despite all the maladies of his teammates, Malevy was only able to get a little bit of run in this game. He’s a nice player to have around, but right now he’s pretty clearly behind the other two players on two-way contracts (Ike and Cryer) on the depth chart.
Grade: Incomplete
Saturday’s inactives: Jimmy Butler III, Steph Curry, Draymond Green, Al Horford, Moses Moody, Brandin Podziemski, Kristaps Porziņģis
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - OCTOBER 23: Jaren Jackson Jr. #20 and Lauri Markkanen #23 of the Utah Jazz box out during the game against the New Orleans Pelicans on October 23, 2026 at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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 Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Utah Jazz had one of the most eventful offseasons, with twists and turns including winning the lottery, drafting Darryn Peterson, and trading Walker Kessler to the Los Angeles Lakers. It was one of the more surprising moves considering how often we heard the Jazz were going to re-sign him. Looking back, it makes you wonder how much of that was to create leverage for an eventual trade. Based on what we know now, it seemed pretty clear Kessler didn’t want to be in Utah long term.
At this point, it’s all spilled milk, and it’s time to see who comes out on top. This matchup is the Jazz’s first chance to face their former center since the trade, and there’s no doubt the atmosphere in the arena will be interesting. With Luka Doncic, it could get contentious. One thing is for sure, Doncic and Kessler look like they’ve found some good chemistry. Will that chemistry hold up against the Jazz? For both the Jazz and the Lakers, this might be both teams’ toughest matchup of the season so far. Utah lost badly to the Grizzlies and turned it around against the Pelicans. The Lakers have beaten the Warriors and the Clippers. It’s a good test for both teams to see just how good they both are.
It’s also a chance for Utah to solidify their rotation. Utah has had two starting lineups this season, and we’ll see if they change again. Ace Bailey had his first start in the home opener for the Jazz and showed the flashes that make him so interesting, especially his defense and athleticism. The question for Bailey is whether he can consistently shoot and score. Once that happens, it’s not likely Bailey leaves the starting lineup for a long time.
Utah can also gain an advantage by starting Jaren Jackson Jr. at center again, because it can pull Walker Kessler out of the paint. Utah’s five-out lineup has huge potential; they just need more chemistry and consistency. We’ll see if they can find more of that against a Laker team with a pretty clear identity around Luka Doncic.
Utah Mammoth fans might be feeling the same way Dmitri Simashev felt after scoring the overtime winner on Saturday. Feeling like they were sleeping.
A dramatic 5-4 overtime win over the Tampa Bay Lightning, who had recently crushed the Vegas Golden Knights and were reeling after a bad loss to the Colorado Avalanche, sent an electric Delta Center crowd home happy. However, don’t forget it didn’t look like it was going to end that way in the first period.
The very first goal went to Jake Guentzel, but he wasn’t the last player to touch the puck before it went into the back of the net. It was Nate Schmidt who put the puck in his own net. The Lightning scored two more goals going into the last couple of minutes of the first period to put the Mammoth in a hole.
The third goal by the Lightning, scored by Brayden Point, ended up being assisted on by Nikita Kucherov, giving him the point needed to pass Steven Stamkos to become the Lightning’s all-time leader in points.
Luckily, Dylan Guenther scored off his iconic one-timer on the power play right before the period ended, setting up a massive second period. The power play for the Mammoth keeps producing well, scoring on one of their three opportunities. The penalty kill did give up one goal on three opportunities, not an offensive number like in prior games.
Ironically, the Mikhail Sergachev trade played a big role in this game. The defenseman got his first-ever point against his former team, assisting on Guenther’s goal. On the flip side, Conor Geekie scored to start the second period, once again putting the Mammoth in a hole.
That’s where the tide started to turn. A shot from MacKenzie Weegar bounced off Anthony Cirelli and then off Anders Lee’s stick to get the Mammoth within one.
“When we scored that goal, we felt that we were alive. It's coming,” head coach André Tourigny said. “Obviously, the fourth goal was a tying goal, a big goal. But from there, I felt we got this. You will never be perfect, but we were a really good team at that point.”
We have to talk about the third line of Lee, Barrett Hayton, and future NHL 2027 All-Star Kailer Yamamoto. Once again, this line was the best line of the game for the Mammoth. Every time they were on the ice, they had some sort of impact.
Each member of the line had a point on Saturday. Lee got his goal, and Hayton got an assist on the overtime winner. Meanwhile, Yamamoto retained his point-per-game pace by scoring the first goal on a great individual effort to race up the ice and put the puck into the back of the net. There is no debate at this point that Yamamoto should be in the lineup every game from this point on.
“We go to work,” Lee said. “We put the puck in, we're smart with it, and we got a little bite. I think we won a lot of battles tonight. Hayts and Yamo were great, up and down the ice and in the corners. We were able to create a lot from that, and that's kind of been our identity as a line, and I think we played to that very well tonight.”
Let’s talk about Karel Vejmelka. There’s been a lot of talk surrounding the Mammoth’s goaltending and how questionable it’s been. That talk has only picked up with the recent Connor Hellebuyck deal. Vejmelka’s stats have been awful, and his play wasn’t great on Thursday against the Seattle Kraken.
To start this one, that play wasn’t much better. He gave up some goals that he can’t give up, looking at the Pontus Holmberg one in particular. However, as the game continued, he settled in. Vejmelka made some good saves in the third period and a massive one in overtime as Sergachev gave up the puck in the middle of the ice. The goalie finished with a .906 save percentage. While improvements still need to be made, you saw the player who has been big for the Mammoth the past two seasons in the second half of this game.
“Veg had a tough stretch, and you start the game that way, and then they score three goals in the first period,” Tourigny said. “He showed a lot of character bouncing back and coming up big like he did at the end of the game and making big saves in overtime and in the third. Really proud of him, really proud for him. I think we all know how much he cares and how much the team means to him, so to see him bounce back and come up big in key moments and help us to get the two points was huge.”
However, the biggest story of Saturday night was Simashev. The defenseman has had a really strong start to the season and it continued against the Lightning as he scored his first goal of his NHL career off a shot from the top of the faceoff circle.
Simashev didn’t have to wait long for NHL career goal number two. He was deployed in overtime and on a two-on-one opportunity with Hayton; the defenseman put the puck home for the game-winner.
“I feel amazing,” Simashev said. “I scored in overtime in the KHL, and it was kind of the same thing. I scored my first goal the game before and then the second in overtime. But I mean, I didn’t expect to play in overtime, to be honest. I was just so happy when we scored the goal; that’s all my feelings right now.”
In both of those goals, you saw the Simashev who played with the Tucson Roadrunners last season. He was jumping forward towards the net to make offensive plays, something he hesitated to do at times in the NHL. If he has truly found that same game he had last season in the American Hockey League, the rest of the NHL needs to watch out.
Just like their game on Monday against the Pittsburgh Penguins, this wasn’t a pretty win. The first half of the game saw some bad play from a variety of players on the team. However, as time went on, the Mammoth, just like their goaltender, settled in and played like the team we saw earlier this season.
The defenseman who scored his first two NHL goals on Saturday has won a pro championship before. He knows sometimes good teams can play badly. However, it’s about the way that team can bounce back in intermissions and after games and leave the worst in the past.
“I think that starts from the locker room, from the energy you have before the game and between the periods,” Simashev said. “I think obviously the character in the third period and overtime. That’s the main thing. I played in the KHL and won the championship, and I just want to say character is the most important thing.”
There are still issues with the Mammoth. A 5-4 overtime win won’t fix that. However, this is a great way to start winning back the confidence of fans the team might’ve lost over the past couple of games, and it’s a great way to give the locker room motivation to finish out October with two more wins and continue those winning ways into November.
“We stuck to our plan and got to our game, and we really got to it in the third,” Lee said. “We put ourselves in a great position by clawing back before that. Just proud of the group that we settled in and didn't get away from what we needed to do tonight. At the end of the day, when you do that overtime, it gives you an opportunity to win a game.”
The Mammoth will play the Minnesota Wild next on Tuesday. The Wild are 7-3-2 this season and are coming off a 5-1 win over the Kraken. They’ll play the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday before heading to Salt Lake City.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - OCTOBER 24: Yaxel Lendeborg #1 of the Golden State Warriors attempts a layup against Luke Kennard #8 and Ryan Dunn #0 of the Phoenix Suns during the second half at Mortgage Matchup Center on October 24, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. 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 Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Golden State Warriors were facing quite an uphill battle on Saturday against the Phoenix Suns. Not only were they playing on the road, but it was the second game of a back-to-back, and their third game in four nights in three cities. And worst of all? They were comically shorthanded. In addition to the expected absent trio (Jimmy Butler III, Moses Moody, and Kristaps Porziņģis), the Dubs were playing without Steph Curry, Draymond Green, Brandin Podziemski, and Al Horford.
And so the result of the game — a loss — was not at all surprising. But the manner in which it transpired — close for most of it, with the final score single digits (131-122) — was quite surprising, in addition to being encouraging and, if we’re being honest, very entertaining, especially relative to the first two games of the season.
Golden State was heavily outmatched on paper. Playing against a healthy team starring Devin Booker, the Warriors rolled out a starting lineup featuring two rookies (Yaxel Lendeborg and Graham Ike) and one second-year pro (Will Richard), alongside Gui Santos and Brandon Williams.
What followed was some inspired play. The Dubs had lockdown defense early (Richard was doing a stellar job on Booker), while the rookies scored Golden State’s first eight points. A Williams three gave Golden State an early 11-4 lead, and it was clear that it brought the team a whole lot of confidence. While they were playing very team-oriented basketball, it was clear that everyone on the court saw the game as an individual challenge, and a chance to prove that they deserve a large role on this team, even when the other players are healthy.
After their slow start, Phoenix started to figure things out, and went on a 12-4 run to take a 16-15 lead. Order was restored a bit when Charles Bassey entered the game for his season debut, and made so many little winning plays. Golden State was, quite obviously, lacking in the talent department, but they were using excellent hustle to turn broken plays into points, and staying afloat. They were narrowly escaping some ugly sequences — including to end the quarter — and managed to lead 25-22 after the first.
The second quarter started off very scattered for both teams. It somewhat resembled a preseason game, with both squads spinning their wheels and trying to make something happen. The Warriors struck first in the big play department, when Williams — who worked very hard on improving his long-distance jump shot this offseason — sunk a three, drew the contact, and complete the four-point play. But after that, the Dubs offense went stagnant, while Booker — who had a fairly quiet first quarter — started to heat up. Phoenix took the lead but couldn’t run away with it, and led 57-54 at the break. Booker led all scorers with 19 points at halftime, while Lendeborg, who was showing impressive patience on offense, had 13.
It was a very impressive first half considering the talent discrepancy and the differences on the injury report. And it was fair to wonder if the clock would strike midnight and the Warriors — despite not being the team wearing orange — would turn into a pumpkin in the third quarter.
The answer, unfortunately, was yes. And then it was no, and then it was yes again.
While energy and hustle had been enough to result in offense in the first half, it wasn’t the case in the second, They had a long offensive drought in the third quarter, and as they did, Phoenix pushed the lead to double digits. It seemed as though Golden State would not be able to recover from the first real blow of the night.
But they did! Behind easily the best stretch of the young season for De’Anthony Melton, and some stellar play in the paint by Ike and Bassey, the Warriors not only mounted a rally, and not only erased the deficit, but took the lead.
It was very short lived, however. Collin Gillespie sparked a run for the Suns and then Booker, who finished with 17 points in the quarter, took over. The Warriors kept responding, but it was never really enough; finally, Gillespie drained a corner three with 0.5 seconds remaining to cap a stellar third quarter, and Phoenix took a 102-92 lead into the fourth after what proved to quite a high-octane quarter (the Suns outscored the Dubs 45-38 in the third).
By that point, Golden State’s offense was running on empty. The defensive effort remained very admirable, but they couldn’t find offense anywhere. While the Warriors would end up scoring 30 points in the quarter, they couldn’t find offense when it mattered most, and trailed by 15 at the halfway mark. Behind a handful of threes, the Warriors managed to stay kind of in the game, but they were never able to get too close, and lost 131-122.
The biggest difference in the game ultimately was Phoenix’s ability to capitalize on opportunities. The Suns only forced one more turnover than the Warriors did (16-15), but more than doubled the Warriors in points scored off of turnovers (26-12).
Lendeborg was given the keys to the offense for the Warriors with Curry and Podziemski out, and it was a joy to watch. There are obviously still some growing pains, but the first-rounder finished with a team-high 26 points on 9-for-19 shooting (including 6-for-11 on threes), while also grabbing nine rebounds, dishing out five assists, and only turning the ball over twice.
Melton and Williams provided much of the rest of the offense, as they each had their best games of the year: Melton finished with 25 points on 8-for-13 shooting, with five rebounds, five assists, and three steals, while Williams netted 20 on 5-for-10 shooting, with three rebounds, five assists, and two steals.
Ike, an undrafted free agent on a two-way contract, grabbed his first double-double, with 12 points and 10 rebounds, while Bassey shot a perfect 4-for-4 en route to 10 points, seven rebounds, and two blocked shots.
But they were no match for Booker, who had a true superstar showing: the five-time All-Star shot 17-for-25 from the field, and finished with 43 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists.
The Warriors are now 0-3, and life doesn’t get easier anytime soon. They have two more games left on their current road trip: on Monday against the Denver Nuggets, and on Wednesday against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
ATLANTA, GA - OCTOBER 24: Reed Sheppard #15 of the Houston Rockets three point basket against the Atlanta Hawks on October 24, 2026 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 Joe Boatman/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
It was the best of games, it was the relation, perhaps a 1st cousin, of the worst of games. It was a game of wisdom, it was a game of foolishness. It was part of a season of light (this season?), it called back to a season of darkness (last season). It was the spring of hope, and it was a win that was harder than it needed to be and brought to mind memories of a certain despair, but memories they remained.
In short, it was a Rockets game. But not as we have known them! It was definitely not the sort they won often last season. I will take the win on a SEGBABA after a tough game in Austin (very much Spurs Country) where the team didn’t make their Atlanta hotel until about 5am. They didn’t really salt away both games of road back to back games much at all last season. In fact, they were bad in that department.
You might say, well, Steven Adams and Fred VanVleet are back, plus the Rockets have Ime’s Spirit Animal: Marcus Smart. Ah, my friend, they did not have those players. All were out. If you know much about Marcus Smart, you know that frequent and nagging injuries have been hallmark of his career. Expect more of the same. As for Fred, he might play in B2Bs later in the season, or he might not. Fred was cagey about it in a post game interview last night, and Fred Jr stayed schtum. Steven Adams simply won’t.
So that left the Rockets starting Reed “Tough 1970s Cop Who Lives By His Own Code of Rough Justice, But Who Is Definitely Not A PG” Sheppard. This may seem a risky move to some, given the team’s 18-4 record in Reed’s starts, but it was a risk the Rockets were forced to take. A risk taken on a loose cannon detective guard who plays by his own set of rules, but gets results, even if they aren’t “By the book.”.
It left Amen Thompson, who had a season highlight block last night in San Antonio. The Rockets had Alperen Sengun, who broke down the Spurs big men late, to win it, including Weepy. It left us with Kevin Durant who just seems to be able to play 36ish minutes whenever, wherever, and even if he’s been shitposting on his burner all night (Who’s to say? Not me.). Finally there was Jabari “I’m Playing Like NBA 1st Team All Defense” Smith.
Would it be enough to match Atlanta, off to an undefeated start, also on a B2B, but at home, and having just summarily dispatched nearby Charlotte?
Reader, it would.
I’m thrilled with the start the team has had to the season. They’ve built leads, held leads, beaten a key rival on the road, and won a tough B2B against what I think is a good to very good Hawks team. Atlanta has players like Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels, and also CJ McCollum and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, that mirror the Rockets in certain ways, and pose problems. They shoot the three well (even if they didn’t tonight, despite a period of just not missing in the third quarter). The Hawks, like the Rockets, also have a good bench, and played the Rockets even in the rebounding battle. In short, not an easy opponent but the Rockets beat them, short handed, on the road in a B2B after a tough game in Austin.
I think we’re seeing the most talented Rockets team in nearly a decade. I’m happy for this win, but the specter of problems that plagued the team last season, if not loomed, definitely floated around the gym and moaned a bit in this game, especially late. Early days, but keep an eye on it.
The game started with both teams looking flat, and to an extent, uninterested. The Rockets went down 7-0 early, but after a time out took a lead they would not relinquish, despite some foolish, and all too familiar faffing around and losing much of their at one time 20pt lead late. It felt like Atlanta made a zillion threes, but that’s because they took 49 of them. Due to good defense from the Rockets (and possibly tired legs) they only made 13 threes to the Rockets 14, on 14 fewer attempts.
Atlanta rallied late, and made it tighter than it should have been. It was a familiar sinking sensation that diehards will remember, but the Rockets did not, in fact, sink into the loss column. That is something to celebrate.
Tonight saw some great play from the following Rockets: Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith, Kevin Durant and Reed Sheppard.
Amen and Reed and Alpie seemed to alternate in the primary initiator spot, and you could see growth on the part of each.
Amen Thompson finished with a stat line 17pts on 4-12 shooting, but 9-9 free throws, 11 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 turnovers, and a steal. He played 39 minutes, and at times even the super human Amen seemed to struggle to find energy. One sign of this was missing close in shots he normally makes.
One thing I saw, as the Rockets have begun running recognizable offensive sets, is that Amen has an idea where to look for the pass, or the drive. If a player knows a play, he knows who will likely be open given what the action is meant to do, how the defense might react. This is how a structured offense with varied sets greatly benefits an inexperienced point guard. Fred VanVleet has played 17,000 minutes, almost all as a PG. Amen has played 6600, with probably 2400 as a PG. Fred doesn’t need the structure Amen does.
Alperen Sengun seems stronger, lighter and fitter this season. He threw down two monster dunks, and made several great moves down the lane, one that just rolled out, or it would have been a big time highlight. You could see that his legs were tired but he fought through, and dominated the Hawks inside. Alpie finished with 17pts on 6-12 shooting, 1-2 from 3pt range (hello 67% 3pt% in a teensy sample), had 10 rebounds, 7 assists to 3 turnovers, and a steal. It was a balanced effort, and his passing was generally solid.
Kevin Durant has been fairly deferential this season, but of course vital. Plugging in around 26 pointss every night is a great thing to have. That said, it could be even more helpful. The Rockets really could, and I think should, have some set actions for Kevin Durant late in games. Yes, he can get his own shot, but it’s often a very difficult one, and the fact that he often makes them still doesn’t make it an optimal approach. A few pet KD plays, that get the greatest all-around shooter who ever lived some easier looks, seems like a good plan. Durant went 22pts on 8-15FG, 3-7 3pt, 3-3FT, 4rbs, 2ast, 2to, 1blk in 37 minutes. Yes, KD played 37 minutes in a B2B, but who is going to tell him not to? You? Me? Ime? Maybe his mom.
Jabari Smith Jr continues to threaten a break out season in my view. The Rockets don’t really have anyone with high usage on offense, so it can be hard to see on offense, but on defense he’s simply been outstanding. He’s the player people imagined on defense when he was drafted. He can guard outside, and inside, he can stay with wings, and even some guards and centers. He’s become superb at difficult shot blocks. Not easy swats gained by targeting smaller guys, and striking. No, he’s been getting blocks close to the basket where it’s unclear how he did it at all. And he’s been doing it without much fouling.
Maybe his reputation will one day be such that refs won’t call anticipatory fouls on him, but actually look at the play more. Jabari had 14 points on 5-12 shooting, with tiredness showing in some of his shots, as well, particularly from 3pt range where he was 2-6. He added 4rbs, 2ast, 2to (late) and had one block. This doesn’t really do his game against big, mobile, Atlanta players justice though. He’s been quietly outstanding so far, in my view.
Reed Sheppard just wins when he starts. Tonight he had 19pts on 7-13FG, 5-113pt, 6rbs, 7ast, 3to, 1stl and was tied with Durant for team high +/- at 19. On a Rockets team where no one player dominates usage, what more do you want? I truly cannot comprehend anyone who can see this game and not think Reed is a point guard and capable of successful starters’ minutes. Some of his dimes were immaculate tonight, beyond what anyone but Alpie can do. He also caused havoc with his hands on defense. I’m honestly surprised he only had one official steal recorded.
The Rockets got into trouble late when Ime Udoka pulled Reed from the game late in favor of Bogdan Bogdanovich. I hope I’ll be believed when I say that the bad defender some of you think Reed Sheppard is, Bogdan actually is. This period provided much of Atlanta’s comeback impetus, and the absence of Sheppard was felt keenly. The Rockets still have problems with late game execution, team wide, and Reed was a part of that, but he was still much better than Bogdanovich despite being younger, and somewhat shorter.
Reed played 30 minutes, and Bogdanovich played 20. I think things would have looked far more solid late if Reed had played 36 minutes, and BogBog 14. Perhaps this was due to Sheppard having a bone bruise on his knee, but he did come back in to close the game.
Also, I’ll say again that I think Reed is miscast as a bench flamethrower. He’s not Jamal Crawford. I think the more he plays, the better he plays. His career stats bear this out (not including tonight). Usage is roughly the same, but percentages are all better. I’m not sure what is to be done about that right now, but I’m fairly sure it’s true.
Tari Eason was his usual Chaos Goblin self. He dropped in 19pts off the bench on 8-15 shooting, had some Dribblin’ Adventures, but also attacked the rim with force. On my favorite Tari play he finished with an NFL style drive through Lu “The Butcher” Dort, and knocked him down. Tari still makes baffling decisions, and sometimes gets tunnel vision with the ball, but this is mitigated by him actually making more close in shot. Sadly, he still hasn’t made at 3pt shot this season, as he seemed to make one, but then it was changed to 2pts.
Clint Capela had decent minutes off the bench, and probably could have played more in my estimation, except that Atlanta plays pretty small. He looks much quicker and more fluid this season, having clearly lost a considerable amount of weight. I hope we see more of him as the season progresses.
BogBog is a good catch and shoot guy, and not especially great at the rest of offense. He does surprise defenders that expect him to shoot immediately, enough to dribble past them. He was 4-8 overall and 3-5 from 3pt range. He’s still clearly getting used to playing with the team, and I think they’ll find him in better spots as the season rolls on. I would have thought he was no one’s idea of a crunch time defender, but I would have thought wrong.
This was a good win in what might have been a schedule loss. There are some things to keep an eye on, but there are also positive changes afoot, and it’s clear that the roster is deep and talented. Winning is fun! Not blowing leads is fun! This team, dare I say it, might be back to being…fun?
