SAN ANTONIO, TX -NOVEMBER 13: Stephon Castle #5 of the San Antonio Spurs reacts after hitting a three against Golden State Warriors in the first half of a Emirates Cup game at Frost Bank Center on November 13, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Planes were grounded nationwide on Friday night and the San Antonio Spurs grounded the Golden State Warriors from the opening tip in their second NBA Cup game. Fueled by Stephon Castle, the Spurs took a 20-point first quarter lead and never looked back as they defeated the Warriors 123-85 at the Frost Bank Center.
The victory is the 11th straight for San Antonio, who also improved to 2-0 in NBA Cup play and control their own destiny to advance to the knockout stage of the competition. The Spurs would need only one win in their next two Cup games to book a spot in the next round.
Nothing the Stephen Curry-less Warriors tried on Friday worked against the Spurs, who led by as many as 43 points in the game. Stephon Castle rebounded from a few poor outings in the last few games to score a season-high 32 points to go along with six assists and five rebounds. Castle shot 12-of-18 from the field as he scored 13 of the Spurs’ first 26 points.
“He’s in the middle of everything,” Coach Johnson said of Castle. “He’s an unbelievable impact player. He’s never blinked at anything we’ve asked. He’s never shown any poor body language. He just attacks everything. And there are times in this league, that is ridiculously difficult.”
Early on, it was obvious what type of night this was going to be for the Spurs. San Antonio scored the first 18 points of the game and did not allow Golden State to score their first points until there was 5:54 left in the opening period. The Spurs’ defense was swarming all through the first quarter, getting hands into the passing lanes and by the time the buzzer sounded to end the period, the Warriors only had 14 points were shooting 21 percent.
“I think the defense probably ignites the offense more than vice versa,” Johnson said. “So I still lean into the defense. Thought we were pretty on point with some of our game plan execution stuff and attention to detail.”
Golden State’s standout rookie Yaxel Lendeborg struggled, shooting just 1-for-13 and ended with the game just three points. Credit to Victor Wembanyama and Luke Kornet, who both worked to make life difficult for the rookie.
“Nobody wanted to go into the paint,” Lendeborg said. “Nobody wanted to get their shot blocked by him. So we were all just doing some weak-ass floaters. I don’t know how many of us work on those.
San Antonio won all four quarters, but a 34-27 third quarter forced Coach Johnson to sit the starters and put his bench in with the Spurs comfortably ahead by 37 points. The majority of the fourth quarter saw Tarris Reed Jr., Carter Bryant, Jordan McLaughlin, and Keldon Johnson take the floor in mop up duty.
The win also saw the return of Devin Vassell, who missed the previous two games with adductor tightness. De’Aaron Fox was questionable with soreness, but he also took the floor in the win for the Spurs.
Game Notes
Victor Wembanyama had a quiet 12 points and 12 rebounds, but he was also hit in the throat, poked in the eye, and thrown to the floor by Draymond Green. After the game, Wemby commented on this and said he was “not surprised” by Green’s flagrant foul.
De’Aaron Fox did not have his shot on Friday, going just 1-of-7 from the floor. However, he made up for that by doing the little things. He had five rebounds, four assists to contribute in a different way.
Keldon Johnson is starting to look like the man who won Sixth Man of the Year last season. He scored 18 points off the bench to go along with four rebounds and four assists in 25 minutes. If he can do that consistently, it makes the Spurs even more dangerous than they already are.
Up next:
The Spurs (11-2) will now hit the road to face the Utah Jazz at the Delta Center for the final time this season on Sunday afternoon at 4 p.m. central time.
Las Vegas, N.V.– What happens when two of the NHL’s hottest teams clash on a Friday night? You guessed it: it goes to a shootout. At least, that’s what happened tonight when the five-game win-streaking Vegas Golden Knights hosted the six-game win-streaking Nashville Predators.
The Golden Knights were the better team through two periods and held a 2-1 lead over Nashville heading into the final frame, but a completely different Golden Knights team came out to start the third. The Predators found the equalizer halfway through the third period and won 3-2 in the shootout, recording their seventh comeback win of the season.
Heading into Friday’s game against the Predators, the Golden Knights were 10-0-0 when leading after the second. Now, they’re 10-0-1.
“I thought we lost our game a little bit in the third,” said Rasmus Andersson following the 3-2 shootout loss. “They were the better team in the third period, and it cost us one point tonight… We just didn’t take care of the puck. We had too many giveaways.”
1. No Goals
A few years ago, a Mass Mutual commercial featured Ryan O’Reilly asking Juuse Saros about his financial goals. In the commercial, Saros responded, “No goals,” and repeated that phrase several times in a deadpan voice.
The Golden Knights finished tonight’s game with 42 shots on net. Juuse Saros stayed true to himself, stopping all but two. He finished the night with 40 saves, a .952 save percentage, and 1.71 goals saved above expected.
“Obviously, he’s a really good goalie,” said Golden Knights defenseman Rasmus Andersson. “Can we create more traffic and chaos, like they did on us in the third? For sure.”
Goaltender Adin Hill certainly did his part for the Golden Knights, as well. He made 30 saves on 32 shots, recording a .930 save percentage and 1.26 goals saved above expected.
“Hilly played well,” said Golden Knights head coach Ryan Craig. “Hilly played very well. He made some real big saves for us, and I thought he was tracking the puck well.”
2. A Tale of Three Periods
After one period, the Golden Knights had 19 shots against Nashville’s 10. After the second, Vegas had 34 shots to Nashville’s 20.
The Predators outshot the Golden Knights 12-8 in the third period and the five minutes of 3-on-3 overtime.
“Through two periods, we generated some looks. We had some opportunities,” said Golden Knights head coach Ryan Craig following the shootout loss. “In the third, we had the two looks from the slot… After they tied it, I think we had one more shot. So, we didn’t generate enough.”
Through the first two periods tonight, the Golden Knights generated 16 high-danger scoring chances while only giving up seven. In the last 25 minutes of hockey, the Predators generated seven high-danger scoring chances and held Vegas to just one.
“We were just having to punt the puck,” said Craig. “We didn’t get our feet going. We didn’t use our support to exit to kind of gain territory and chip away at territory. Therefore, they got the territory and were able to keep coming.”
3. Fine, We’ll Stop Ignoring the Elephant in the Room
It was a little over a month ago that Golden Knights head coach Ryan Craig surprised everyone by deploying Trevor Connelly and Braeden Bowman as his first two shooters in the shootout. It sure did work out for him– both players beat Sergei Bobrovsky and gave their team a 4-3 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Craig has stayed true to himself and continues to send Connelly and Bowman out in the shootout. This continues to prove to be the right decision, as Connelly has converted on two of three chances and scored the only Golden Knights shootout goal tonight.
The Golden Knights continue to deploy their best players in the shootout, which should make sense. Here’s the problem:
Mitch Marner is 13-for-43 (30.2%) in the shootout in his career, but he has only converted on two of nine as a Golden Knight. Jack Eichel is 13-for-49 (26.5%) in his career, but has converted on zero of his last nine shootout attempts.
Shea Theodore, who is a whopping 12-of-31 (38.7%!) in his career, was not used in the shootout tonight against the Predators.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - NOVEMBER 13: LJ Cryer #18 of the Golden State Warriors dribbles the ball during the game against the San Antonio Spurs during the 2026 Emirates NBA Cup on November 13, 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 Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Well, that was not a fun game at all. The Golden State Warriors lost 123-85 against the San Antonio Spurs, in a game that was truly over before the Dubs even scored a point. They trailed 18-0 at the halfway mark of the first quarter, and with no Steph Curry to save them, there was never a chance on the road against a team that entered the night with a 10-game winning streak.
No one needs to spend much more time thinking about this game, so let’s run through the grades very, very quickly. As always, grades are based on my expectations for each individual 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. Entering Friday’s games, league-average TS was 57.4%.
Melton got the start in Curry’s absence, as I’m guessing he’ll continue to do. He did some good things, but also some bad things. His inability to penetrate San Antonio’s defense made it hard for him to quarterback the offense, and while he had some nice defensive plays, he struggled with the Spurs’ speed and length.
Well, there’s no way to sugarcoat this one, other than to say the obvious: these games happen to rookies, and they’re just part of the learning process. Lendeborg will get better because of this game, but he sure won’t have a fun time looking back through the film.
This was a double whammy for the Dubs’ first-round pick. It was his first game since he was handed the keys following Curry’s injury, and it was his first time facing a team like the Spurs. They don’t make players like Victor Wembanyama in the Big 10, and they don’t make defenses this long, fast, or rangy. Lendeborg was at a total loss when having to deal with those things, though credit to him for not slumping his shoulders, and still playing hard on defense and on the glass.
Grade: D- Post-game bonus: Led the team in rebounds; worst plus/minus on the team.
Green always feels like a barometer for whether or not the team can win. You can tell by his effort level whether it’s a winnable game for the Dubs. He came out energized on the first few possessions, while defending Wembanyama, and then it became clear that the Warriors had no chance and Green’s effort level waned with that. Can’t really blame him.
With Curry out for a few weeks at a minimum, the Warriors are going to turn to Lendeborg and Podziemski to be the first options on offense. Unfortunately, the first game post-Curry’s injury was a bit of a dud in that regard. Podz didn’t struggle as much as Lendeborg, but it was a very forgettable game for him, as he just couldn’t find any spacing against San Antonio’s length, and seemed uncomfortable all night. Props to him for not turning the ball over, though.
You have to give Richard so much credit for being out there and playing heavy minutes despite his thumb injury. I thought he’d be out a few months, and instead he missed a single game. He also was not the problem for Golden State in this game, though perhaps he wasn’t the solution, either. He was competitive, which is more than some of his teammates could say, and he fought hard on defense while making a few things happen on offense. It was the kind of performance that stands out when you win, but showed some limitations because they lost.
Cryer was, without a doubt, the brightest part of the game for the Warriors. Maybe the only bright part of the game, for that matter. With Curry and Brandon Williams injured, Cryer — who is on a two-way contract — is going to get some run.
He looked the part in this game. He was part of the first group of subs, and immediately started doing what his teammates had been unable to do: penetrate the defense. Like all the Dubs, he struggled to score once he did that … despite shooting better than 50% from distance, he went just 1-for-6 inside the arc.
The 20 points was a career best for Cryer, and a reminder of what he’s capable of with the ball in his hands. The Warriors will need him over the next few weeks.
Grade: A Post-game bonus: Led the team in points and assists.
Horford didn’t play much. Once it was clear that the Warriors were going to lose, there was no point in putting more miles on the odometer of the team’s oldest player. He was fine in his minutes, though.
Niang did some good things. He didn’t do any great things, but he did some good things, and he didn’t do any awful things, either. Just not quite athletic enough given San Antonio’s players, and I thought his defense had a rough go of it.
It was kind of funny: the Warriors started the game 0-11 and didn’t score for the first six minutes of the game, until they finally broke the ice on a Santos bucket. The same Santos who hadn’t made a field goal in either of the last two games. Go figure!
All things considered, Gui played pretty decently. He was making plays happen through sheer effort, and didn’t seem quite as bothered by San Antonio’s length as some of his teammates, though he still didn’t have an efficient scoring night. He kept a lot of plays alive on the glass, and was fine on defense.
Bassey’s impressive play continued. On a night where the Warriors shot just 33.3% from the field, Bassey was the only player on the team to make more than half of his shots. He had some impressive rebounds as well. It wasn’t all good, though, as San Antonio’s size really got the better of him on numerous occasions. He struggled to contain anyone on defense, and the three turnovers and four fouls in the box score pretty accurately reflect how he played. But still: an efficient 11-and-5 in 20 minutes from the center position is something the Warriors are happy about.
Single-game individual plus/minus is perhaps the noisiest stat in basketball, but it still feels noteworthy — if not meaningful — that Payton was the only Warriors player to have a positive plus/minus in a game that they lost by 38 points. That’s more a reflection of when he was on the court than of what he did on it, but still … worth noting!
GPII played some good defense though, which is more than most of his teammates can say. He wasn’t a factor on offense, but then again, other than Bassey and Cryer, no one was.
Grade: B- Post-game bonus: Best plus/minus on the team.
San Antonio has so much length and athleticism that they were able to bother Ike with it, even though both teams had pulled their core players and put in the subs by the time Ike got on the court. Still, with the exception of a bunch of missed shots, Ike played fairly well. He passes really well for his position, and the game doesn’t move too quickly for him. Did some nice things on defense as well.
You know something has gone very well or very poorly when there are 14 minutes of garbage time to hand out to the back of the bench. Unfortunately, it was the latter in this case, though at least that meant some extensive play for Leons, who I thought looked pretty darn good.
Grade: B+
Friday’s inactives: Jimmy Butler III, Steph Curry, Moses Moody, Kristaps Porziņģis, Brandon Williams
SAN ANTONIO, TX - NOVEMBER 13: LJ Cryer #18 of the Golden State Warriors dribbles the ball during the game against the San Antonio Spurs during the 2026 Emirates NBA Cup on November 13, 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 Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Well, that was not a fun game at all. The Golden State Warriors lost 123-85 against the San Antonio Spurs, in a game that was truly over before the Dubs even scored a point. They trailed 18-0 at the halfway mark of the first quarter, and with no Steph Curry to save them, there was never a chance on the road against a team that entered the night with a 10-game winning streak.
No one needs to spend much more time thinking about this game, so let’s run through the grades very, very quickly. As always, grades are based on my expectations for each individual 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. Entering Friday’s games, league-average TS was 57.4%.
Melton got the start in Curry’s absence, as I’m guessing he’ll continue to do. He did some good things, but also some bad things. His inability to penetrate San Antonio’s defense made it hard for him to quarterback the offense, and while he had some nice defensive plays, he struggled with the Spurs’ speed and length.
Well, there’s no way to sugarcoat this one, other than to say the obvious: these games happen to rookies, and they’re just part of the learning process. Lendeborg will get better because of this game, but he sure won’t have a fun time looking back through the film.
This was a double whammy for the Dubs’ first-round pick. It was his first game since he was handed the keys following Curry’s injury, and it was his first time facing a team like the Spurs. They don’t make players like Victor Wembanyama in the Big 10, and they don’t make defenses this long, fast, or rangy. Lendeborg was at a total loss when having to deal with those things, though credit to him for not slumping his shoulders, and still playing hard on defense and on the glass.
Grade: D- Post-game bonus: Led the team in rebounds; worst plus/minus on the team.
Green always feels like a barometer for whether or not the team can win. You can tell by his effort level whether it’s a winnable game for the Dubs. He came out energized on the first few possessions, while defending Wembanyama, and then it became clear that the Warriors had no chance and Green’s effort level waned with that. Can’t really blame him.
With Curry out for a few weeks at a minimum, the Warriors are going to turn to Lendeborg and Podziemski to be the first options on offense. Unfortunately, the first game post-Curry’s injury was a bit of a dud in that regard. Podz didn’t struggle as much as Lendeborg, but it was a very forgettable game for him, as he just couldn’t find any spacing against San Antonio’s length, and seemed uncomfortable all night. Props to him for not turning the ball over, though.
You have to give Richard so much credit for being out there and playing heavy minutes despite his thumb injury. I thought he’d be out a few months, and instead he missed a single game. He also was not the problem for Golden State in this game, though perhaps he wasn’t the solution, either. He was competitive, which is more than some of his teammates could say, and he fought hard on defense while making a few things happen on offense. It was the kind of performance that stands out when you win, but showed some limitations because they lost.
Cryer was, without a doubt, the brightest part of the game for the Warriors. Maybe the only bright part of the game, for that matter. With Curry and Brandon Williams injured, Cryer — who is on a two-way contract — is going to get some run.
He looked the part in this game. He was part of the first group of subs, and immediately started doing what his teammates had been unable to do: penetrate the defense. Like all the Dubs, he struggled to score once he did that … despite shooting better than 50% from distance, he went just 1-for-6 inside the arc.
The 20 points was a career best for Cryer, and a reminder of what he’s capable of with the ball in his hands. The Warriors will need him over the next few weeks.
Grade: A Post-game bonus: Led the team in points and assists.
Horford didn’t play much. Once it was clear that the Warriors were going to lose, there was no point in putting more miles on the odometer of the team’s oldest player. He was fine in his minutes, though.
Niang did some good things. He didn’t do any great things, but he did some good things, and he didn’t do any awful things, either. Just not quite athletic enough given San Antonio’s players, and I thought his defense had a rough go of it.
It was kind of funny: the Warriors started the game 0-11 and didn’t score for the first six minutes of the game, until they finally broke the ice on a Santos bucket. The same Santos who hadn’t made a field goal in either of the last two games. Go figure!
All things considered, Gui played pretty decently. He was making plays happen through sheer effort, and didn’t seem quite as bothered by San Antonio’s length as some of his teammates, though he still didn’t have an efficient scoring night. He kept a lot of plays alive on the glass, and was fine on defense.
Bassey’s impressive play continued. On a night where the Warriors shot just 33.3% from the field, Bassey was the only player on the team to make more than half of his shots. He had some impressive rebounds as well. It wasn’t all good, though, as San Antonio’s size really got the better of him on numerous occasions. He struggled to contain anyone on defense, and the three turnovers and four fouls in the box score pretty accurately reflect how he played. But still: an efficient 11-and-5 in 20 minutes from the center position is something the Warriors are happy about.
Single-game individual plus/minus is perhaps the noisiest stat in basketball, but it still feels noteworthy — if not meaningful — that Payton was the only Warriors player to have a positive plus/minus in a game that they lost by 38 points. That’s more a reflection of when he was on the court than of what he did on it, but still … worth noting!
GPII played some good defense though, which is more than most of his teammates can say. He wasn’t a factor on offense, but then again, other than Bassey and Cryer, no one was.
Grade: B- Post-game bonus: Best plus/minus on the team.
San Antonio has so much length and athleticism that they were able to bother Ike with it, even though both teams had pulled their core players and put in the subs by the time Ike got on the court. Still, with the exception of a bunch of missed shots, Ike played fairly well. He passes really well for his position, and the game doesn’t move too quickly for him. Did some nice things on defense as well.
You know something has gone very well or very poorly when there are 14 minutes of garbage time to hand out to the back of the bench. Unfortunately, it was the latter in this case, though at least that meant some extensive play for Leons, who I thought looked pretty darn good.
Grade: B+
Friday’s inactives: Jimmy Butler III, Steph Curry, Moses Moody, Kristaps Porziņģis, Brandon Williams
LAS VEGAS — The Vegas Golden Knights had plenty of chances to build a cushion. When they didn’t, their puck struggles gave the Nashville Predatorsan opening.
The Predators erased a third-period deficit and beat Vegas 3-2 in a shootout Friday at T-Mobile Arena, ending the Golden Knights’ four-game winning streak.
It marked the first time Vegas lost a game after leading through two periods.
Victor Olofsson and Rasmus Andersson scored for Vegas, extending its point streak to six games (4-0-2) and moving to 13-5-3. Ryan O’Reilly scored both Nashville goals, and Roman Josi delivered the deciding shootout tally.
“First two periods, we couldn’t separate, right, score-wise, so they hang around,” Golden Knights coach Ryan Craig said. “In the third, I didn’t think we managed pucks the way we did in the first two periods.”
Juuse Saros made 40 saves for the Predators, who improved to 11-4-5 with their seventh consecutive victory.
Vegas finished with 42 shots, but its inability to sustain possession and move out of its defensive zone became the defining issue late.
Craig pointed to turnovers near the defensive blue line, insufficient movement and a failure to use available support.
“If you give them second chance after second chance, now you get fatigued, and now we’re just punting the puck,” Craig said.
Andersson offered a similar assessment.
“We just didn’t really take care of the puck,” he said. “Too many giveaways.”
Nashville’s pressure spread out Vegas’ defensive coverage and created opportunities to send pucks toward the net.
“I thought they did a good job in the third, and I just thought we didn’t really meet our standards in the third,” Andersson said.
O’Reilly’s tying goal came after Nashville worked the puck from the blue line back behind the net. Craig said Vegas lost its defensive layers, allowing O’Reilly room to emerge above the goal line and finish.
The breakdown overshadowed a performance from Adin Hill that Craig praised.
“Hilly played very well. Made some real big saves for us,” Craig said. “I thought he was tracking the puck well.”
At the other end, the Golden Knights’ shot total didn’t necessarily reflect the quality of their chances throughout the game. Craig said Vegas generated opportunities through two periods but struggled to create enough in the third.
Andersson credited Saros while acknowledging Vegas could have made his work more difficult.
“Can we create more traffic and chaos a little bit like they did on us in the third? For sure,” Andersson said.
Olofsson nearly ended the game early in overtime, striking the post with a chance to give Vegas its fifth consecutive victory.
Instead, the teams went to a shootout.
Trevor Connelly scored in the second round to put Vegas ahead, but Filip Forsberg answered in the third round to keep Nashville alive. After Jack Eichel missed in the fourth round, Josi converted to complete the comeback.
For Craig, the third-period solution required the same connected play that had helped Vegas establish its game earlier.
“Our forecheck, when we forechecked, especially in the first period, we were a very good hockey team,” Craig said. “I thought we weren’t able to forecheck in the third because we didn’t get to those spots where you could establish a forecheck.”
KEY MOMENT: Equalizer
O’Reilly’s second goal erased Vegas’ 2-1 third-period lead. Nashville reset the puck behind the net, and a coverage breakdown allowed O’Reilly to move above the goal line and score, sending the game toward overtime and eventually a shootout.
KEY STAT: 42
The Golden Knights put 42 shots on goal, but Saros stopped 40. Vegas has collected 10 of a possible 12 points during its six-game point streak.
WHAT A KNIGHT: Victor Olofsson
The winger scored his sixth goal of the season and nearly delivered the overtime winner, hitting the post. Olofsson has two goals and three assists in four games since returning from injury.
UP NEXT
The Golden Knights continue their five-game homestand Sunday against the Vancouver Canucks at T-Mobile Arena. Puck drop is scheduled for 6 p.m. Pacific.
PHOTO CAPTION
Vegas Golden Knights left wing Trevor Connelly (24) shoots against the glove of Nashville Predators defenseman Roman Josi (59) during the first period at T-Mobile Arena.
The New York Rangers’ four-game road trip was capped off with a true feel-good story.
At 29 years old, Glenn Gawdin scored his first two NHL goals in the Rangers’ 5-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Friday night.
Since being selected by the St. Louis Blues in the fourth round of the 2015 NHL Draft, Gawdin has been working toward earning himself a consistent NHL role.
Over the course of his professional hockey career, Gawdin has played in 487 American Hockey League games for the Stockton Heat, San Diego Gulls, Ontario Reign, and most recently, the Hartford Wolf Pack.
Prior to signing a two-year deal worth $850,000 per season with the Rangers this past offseason, Gawdin had played in just 12 NHL games for the Calgary Flames and Anaheim Ducks.
An injury sustained by Joe Veleno early in the season has left the Blueshirts with a hole at their fourth-line center position and a rotating cast of players filling that role since Veleno went down.
After starting the season with the Wolf Pack, the 29-year-old was called up by the Rangers on Nov. 10, joining the team on its four-game road trip.
“Was told (called up by the Rangers) in the middle of an American League Hockey game down in Springfield, drove home, packed a suitcase, my wife helped me,” Gawdin revealed. “Went from Hartford to Denver, (from) Denver to Calgary.
Friday night’s matchup in Vancouver added extra meaning for Gawdin, as he grew up in British Columbia and had 10-12 friends and family members at Rogers Arena cheering him on.
In the second period, goaltender Leevi Meriläinen turned over the puck, and Gawdin was able to retrieve it and take a low shot that fooled Meriläinen for his first career NHL goal.
Less than five minutes later, Gawdin deflected the puck off his skate on Vladislav Gavrikov’s shot for his second goal of the night.
“It’s special,” Gawdin said of scoring his first two NHL goals. “I think anywhere it would have been special, but to do it in Vancouver is that much sweeter.”
It’s been a long journey to get to this point for Gawdin, who has continuously paid his dues at the AHL level with the hopes and dreams of earning an NHL spot.
Through all of the difficult and uncertain times of his career, Gawdin admitted to leaning on the people closest to him for support.
“There's a lot that goes through your mind over the years,” Gawdin said. “Credit to the circle around me. Credit to my wife. They pushed me when I need it. I think the success tonight, they have an equal part in that.”
While Gawdin’s time with the Rangers moving forward is certainly not guaranteed, he’s made the most of an opportunity and created a memory in his hometown that he’ll likely remember for the rest of his life.
“He's a great kid,” Mike Sullivan said of Gawdin. “Obviously, he's coming back to his hometown here, he scores two goals. That's a great thrill, right?...We talked earlier before the game about how unique it is and how special it is for guys to play in their hometown and in front of their family and friends...
“Gawds, I think he's had two pretty good games. I think he played better today than he did the first hame, and him and I had that conversation. That first game when you get called up is not easy. The pace of play is different, and he's also trying to get comfortable with the group. I was thrilled for him.”
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Roman Josi scored the deciding goal in the fourth round of a shootout as the Nashville Predators beat the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2 Friday night for their seventh straight win.
Ryan O’Reilly scored twice for the Predators. Juuse Saros made 40 saves.
Victor Olofsson and Rasmus Andersson scored for Vegas, which had its four-game winning streak snapped. Adin Hill stopped 30 shots.
Trevor Connelly gave Vegas the early advantage in the shootout, but Filip Forsberg kept Nashville alive with a third-round goal. After Saros denied Jack Eichel, Josi converted to complete the comeback.
Braeden Bowman and Mitch Marner also missed for Vegas. Steven Stamkos and O’Reilly were unsuccessful for Nashville.
Olofsson nearly ended the game early in overtime, but his shot rang off the post.
The Golden Knights extended their point streak to six games despite the loss. Nashville won its fourth consecutive road game.
Olofsson continued his productive return from injury with his sixth goal in eight appearances this season. He had a goal and two assists in Wednesday’s 5-3 victory over Utah and entered Friday with four points in three games since returning Nov. 5 at Detroit.
Andersson scored his third goal of the season, while O’Reilly increased his total to nine.
RANGERS 5, CANUCKS 1
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Glenn Gawdin scored his first two NHL goals in New York’s four-goal second period and the Rangers won for the first time this season when allowing the first goal, beating Vancouver.
The Rangers finished a four-game trip with three victories have won five of their last six to improve to 12-8-1. They were 0-7-1 when allowing the first goal before Friday.
The NHL-worst Canucks have dropped seven straight to fall to 3-17-1.
Playing his second NHL game of the season and 15th overall, the 29-year-old Gawdin made it 3-1 on a snap shot with seven minutes left in the second. He added the second with 3:50 to go in the period for a 5-1 advantage.
Gawdin is from the Vancouver suburb of Richmond. He was called up from Hartford of the American Hockey League on Tuesday.
Nov 13, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Utah Jazz guard Darryn Peterson (22) handles the ball against Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) during the first quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Utah Jazz fall to the Houston Rockets 125-118 for their twelfth loss of the season, and second NBA Cup game loss.
The Jazz got off to a solid start in the first quarter with respectable defense and ball movement. Although no one could stop Alpren Sengun, who was getting everything he wanted all night long (including every foul call), Jaxon Hayes and Mo Bamba punished his poor drop coverage on the other end by catching lobs.
After the first quarter, the game was tied up at 27 a piece. Jaxon Hayes came out of the game with an injury (the Jazz can’t catch a break with the frontcourt injuries!). Like every other game this season, the bench came in and immediately started turning the ball over and giving up easy baskets, putting the Jazz in a 10-point deficit going into the second half.
Then it got exciting. Darryn Peterson and Keyonte George took over the game, attacking the rim, spraying out the 3-point shooters, and getting stops on the other end. Ace Bailey was hitting his 3s, Keyonte had an amazing 4-point play, and Darryn was controling the game and getting any shot he wanted. Before long, the 10-point deficit became a 10-point lead. Utah’s offense was looking as good as it had all season. Darryn Peterson scored 12 points in the first 6 minutes of the third quarter.
But apparently Will Hardy wanted to change things. Enter: Isaiah Collier and Brice Sensabaugh. Instead of going with what was clearly working, Isaiah Collier pounded the air out of the ball as the lead was erased almost as quickly as it was built.
It was about to get ugly again, but Keyonte George came alive, scoring 23 points in the second half. He was aggressive, attacking the basket and creating contact, but the refs decided only the Rockets were allowed to shoot free throws this game.
Bamba wasn’t doing anything to stop Sengun, who scored pretty much every time he touched the basketball within 15 feet of the rim. Tony Bradley also played 12 minutes, but didn’t do much to stop him either.
However, despite the bench, the refs, and Sengun, the Jazz were still in it. After a beautiful jumper at the elbow from Peterson, the Jazz were down one with 2:40 to go. Amen Thompson scored to put Houston up three, and Keyonte had a terrible turnover, trying to dump the ball down to Bamba. After George’s turnover, Sensabaugh bricked an offbalance lay, and Sengun scored on the other end.
With 11 seconds left in the game, the Jazz were down 5. Any reasonable person would have assumed a play would be drawn up for Darryn to score. But no. Not only did that not happen, but he was benched for none of than Svi Mykhailiuk.
Sensabaugh got the ball and did nothing other than jump out of bounds and try to get a foul call.
And that was the game.
Another heartbreaking loss in a very winnable game. The bench is horrendous and Will Hardy continues to make mind boggling decisions with the game on the line. Why did we tank all year for Peterson if we are just going to play Brice and Svi at the end of games!?!?
The young core of the Jazz played great, but it wasn’t enough. Keyonte, Ace, and Darryn have very bright futures.
Kevin Durant did what he does, scoring 22 points without hardly breaking a sweat.
Darryn Peterson finished with 28 points and 7 rebounds for his fifth straight 20-point game. This season has been rough, but at least we have Darryn Peterson.
Nov 13, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Utah Jazz guard Darryn Peterson (22) handles the ball against Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) during the first quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Utah Jazz fall to the Houston Rockets 125-118 for their twelfth loss of the season, and second NBA Cup game loss.
The Jazz got off to a solid start in the first quarter with respectable defense and ball movement. Although no one could stop Alpren Sengun, who was getting everything he wanted all night long (including every foul call), Jaxon Hayes and Mo Bamba punished his poor drop coverage on the other end by catching lobs.
After the first quarter, the game was tied up at 27 a piece. Jaxon Hayes came out of the game with an injury (the Jazz can’t catch a break with the frontcourt injuries!). Like every other game this season, the bench came in and immediately started turning the ball over and giving up easy baskets, putting the Jazz in a 10-point deficit going into the second half.
Then it got exciting. Darryn Peterson and Keyonte George took over the game, attacking the rim, spraying out the 3-point shooters, and getting stops on the other end. Ace Bailey was hitting his 3s, Keyonte had an amazing 4-point play, and Darryn was controling the game and getting any shot he wanted. Before long, the 10-point deficit became a 10-point lead. Utah’s offense was looking as good as it had all season. Darryn Peterson scored 12 points in the first 6 minutes of the third quarter.
But apparently Will Hardy wanted to change things. Enter: Isaiah Collier and Brice Sensabaugh. Instead of going with what was clearly working, Isaiah Collier pounded the air out of the ball as the lead was erased almost as quickly as it was built.
It was about to get ugly again, but Keyonte George came alive, scoring 23 points in the second half. He was aggressive, attacking the basket and creating contact, but the refs decided only the Rockets were allowed to shoot free throws this game.
Bamba wasn’t doing anything to stop Sengun, who scored pretty much every time he touched the basketball within 15 feet of the rim. Tony Bradley also played 12 minutes, but didn’t do much to stop him either.
However, despite the bench, the refs, and Sengun, the Jazz were still in it. After a beautiful jumper at the elbow from Peterson, the Jazz were down one with 2:40 to go. Amen Thompson scored to put Houston up three, and Keyonte had a terrible turnover, trying to dump the ball down to Bamba. After George’s turnover, Sensabaugh bricked an offbalance lay, and Sengun scored on the other end.
With 11 seconds left in the game, the Jazz were down 5. Any reasonable person would have assumed a play would be drawn up for Darryn to score. But no. Not only did that not happen, but he was benched for none of than Svi Mykhailiuk.
Sensabaugh got the ball and did nothing other than jump out of bounds and try to get a foul call.
And that was the game.
Another heartbreaking loss in a very winnable game. The bench is horrendous and Will Hardy continues to make mind boggling decisions with the game on the line. Why did we tank all year for Peterson if we are just going to play Brice and Svi at the end of games!?!?
The young core of the Jazz played great, but it wasn’t enough. Keyonte, Ace, and Darryn have very bright futures.
Kevin Durant did what he does, scoring 22 points without hardly breaking a sweat.
Darryn Peterson finished with 28 points and 7 rebounds for his fifth straight 20-point game. This season has been rough, but at least we have Darryn Peterson.
The Miami Heat know a thing or two about dynamic duos.
Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo each scored 37 points in a 133-121 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday, Nov. 13. Antetokounmpo added nine rebounds and Adebayo notched 14 boards for a double-double in the NBA Cup matchup at the Kaseya Center.
According to the NBA, the two stars join LeBron James and Dwyane Wade as the only other duo in franchise history to score more than 35 points each in the same game.
He will face his former team for the first time on Nov. 18 when the Heat host "A Night in Vice City" to promote the highly-anticipated "Grand Theft Auto 6" video game.
Antetokounmpo is averaging 27.7 points, 12.6 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game this season. Adebayo, who is in his 10th NBA season, all with the Heat, is posting 17.8 points, 8.4 boards, 3.3 assists and a career-high 2.2 steals per outing so far this year. In March, he scored 83 points in a game, the second-most in NBA history.
LAS VEGAS, NV - NOVEMBER 11: Rollie Fingers greets William Contreras during the 2026 MLB Awards presented by MGM Rewards at The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas on Wednesday, November 11, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Matt Aguirre/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
This week, the GM Meetings took place in Las Vegas. It is the first real chance for GMs to meet and discuss trade possibilities with other teams, as well as hold initial meetings with free agents. It was also awards week for MLB, with the yearly awards all announced. Here’s what took place this week.
There wasn’t much for free agent deals, but a few were signed this week to kick off free agency. The big news for the Brewers was Jake Bauers signing with the Red Sox, which also means that he turned down the qualifying offer from Milwaukee. Bauers signed a four year, $58 million contract with the Red Sox, and the Brewers will receive a compensatory draft pick after the first round. A couple of other free agents were signed at the meetings, with Emilio Pagan signing with the Tigers and Evan Phillips signing with the Braves.
Another piece of news for the Brewers was about Jeferson Quero. The Brewers were officially granted a fourth option year for Quero, meaning they can keep him in the minors for one more year. Without the option, Quero would either have to make the roster out of spring training or potentially be exposed to waivers to keep in the minors. Now, the Brewers can give him one more season in Nashville to see what he can offer in the future.
Early trade rumors are coming up for current Brewers’ players, mainly focused around the players who are free agents after the 2027 season. The main two players that have been mentioned in rumors so far are Trevor Megill and William Contreras. At the meetings, Matt Arnold spoke about the possibility of trading Contreras. He did it with usual GM speak, saying that Contreras “means a lot to this team”. When asked about Megill, he continued with the GM speak and said, “He got the last six outs of the World Series, and I just went to a Metallica concert with him, so I like him. I like him a lot.”
The yearly awards were also announced at this year’s meetings, and as expected for the World Series champions, they were represented several times. Here is a summary of the awards that they won or received votes for:
Trevor Megill finished third in the inaugural Reliever of the Year award, with Mason Miller taking the award in the NL and Louis Varland in the AL. Aaron Ashby and Abner Uribe also received votes.
Brice Turang finished third in the NL MVP vote and Jacob Misiorowski finished fifth. Jackson Chourio and Jake Bauers also received votes. Pete Crow-Armstrong was a unanimous winner in the NL and Yordan Alvarez was unanimous in the AL.
The next big deadline date for the Brewers is coming up next week on Tuesday. They will have until 5 p.m. CT to protect players from the Rule 5 draft. Jett Williams (MLB.com No. 10), Luke Adams (No. 13), Marco Dinges (No. 14), Tate Kuehner, Brett Wichrowski, Brock Wilken, and Matthew Wood are among the Brewers’ top prospects that would need to be protected. With the potential lockout upcoming, teams may elect to protect fewer players, especially if they think the Rule 5 draft will be cancelled.
The losing streak lives on as the Vancouver Canucks suffered a 5–1 loss to the New York Rangers on Friday night, extending their slump to seven straight games. Forward Elias Pettersson was the lone player to score in tonight’s matchup, while BC-locals Dylan Garand (27 saves on 28 shots) and Glenn Gawdin (two goals) had strong performances for the Rangers. Leevi Meriläinen stopped 26 of 31 shots faced.
Tonight’s loss was a record-setting one for the Canucks, as they dropped their eighth consecutive home-game this season, marking a franchise record for home losing streaks.
In a rare moment this season, having only done so seven times in their first 21 games, the Canucks opened the scoring tonight thanks to a puck tipped into the net by Pettersson. A sharp retrieval along the boards by Brock Boeser gave the long-tenured Canuck his 500th-career NHL point, as he recorded the second assist on Pettersson’s goal.
By the end of the first period, however, the game was tied 1–1. A battle in the corners of Vancouver’s zone saw Pettersson and J.T. Miller fight for the puck, only for it to end up on the stick of Alexis Lafrenière. The 2020 first-overall pick sent the puck over to Gabe Perreault, who was able to shoot it past both Filip Hronek and Meriläinen.
Despite hanging in there during the first period, momentum slowly started to shift in the Rangers’ direction throughout the second. Rangers forward Oliver Bjorkstrand kicked things off by capitalizing on a power play, though the following sequences of shifts saw the Canucks fail to get the puck out of their own zone.
The roughest sequence for the Canucks came around the 13-minute mark of the second period, after which Vancouver surrendered three goals in 3:10 minutes. Shifts after surrendering a goal-against have been difficult for the Canucks this season, but this was even more apparent tonight. From passes not connecting to coughing the puck up easily, Vancouver gave New York ample chances to break-out and enter their zone.
Vancouver’s sloppiness continued into the third period, when they took a too-many-men call around seven minutes into the frame. While they didn’t allow any more goals, the Canucks weren’t quite able to string together a consistent-enough stretch of play to be able to mount a comeback.
Part of what may have halted any opportunity of a comeback was Vancouver’s performance on the man-advantage. The Canucks were unable to find the back of the net on any of their four power plays, racking up a grand total of six shots through the four chances. Of the two units, Vancouver’s second unit consisting of Zeev Buium, Linus Karlsson, Filip Chytil, Marco Rossi, and Paul Cotter appeared to find the most offensive success despite not ending up on the scoresheet.
After the game, Canucks Head Coach Manny Malhotra touched on what it was that caused Vancouver such a sudden crumble.
“I think that the story of the second was just our unwillingness or inability to stick to the script. But our first period was probably the best we've looked in a long time, just in terms of everything structurally. Created a lot of chances. Scored a great O-zone sequence goal. Didn’t spend a ton of time in the D-zone, so again, coming back to that mindset of simple and direct works for us. And in the second period, it was just a string of turnover after turnover after turnover that feeds transition and doesn’t allow us to do the things that make us competitive.”
“When you see the other teams transition, they continue to make our D stay out for long shifts, and then you’re not getting pucks deep and not getting to forecheck, and you’re just on your heels,” Boeser added. “It’s a pretty important part of the game. You see the best teams in the league — they continue to play the same way. There’s times you can make a play, and there’s times that you can’t, and you’ve got to learn when those times are.”
Vancouver will now head on the road for their next three games, starting with a Sunday matchup against the Vegas Golden Knights at 7:00 pm PCT.
Nov 13, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Elias Pettersson (40) battles with New York Rangers forward Tye Kartye (24) in the third period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
Stats and Facts:
Brock Boeser becomes the eighth player to hit 500 points as a member of the Canucks
Elias Pettersson scores his first 5-on-5 goal since January 13, 2026
Vancouver sets a new record for home-ice losing streaks, dropping their eighth-consecutive game
Marco Rossi, Jake DeBrusk, Linus Karlsson, defenceman Elias Pettersson, and Tom Willander all finish the game with three shots on goal
Scoring Summary:
1st Period:
12:13 - VAN: Elias Pettersson (5) from Zeev Buium and Brock Boeser
18:47 - NYR: Gabe Perreault (7) from Alexis Lafrenière
2nd Period:
8:21 - NYR: Oliver Bjorkstrand (7) from J.T. Miller and Adam Fox (PPG)
13:00 - NYR: Glenn Gawdin (1)
15:14 - NYR: Alexis Lafrenière (10) from Mika Zibanejad and Gabe Perreault
16:10 - NYR: Glenn Gawdin (2) from Vladislav Gavrikov and Jaroslav Chmelar
3rd Period:
No Scoring.
Up Next:
Vancouver Canucks @ Vegas Golden Knights, November 15, 2026, 7:00 pm PCT
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SAN ANTONIO, TX - NOVEMBER 13: Stephon Castle #5 of the San Antonio Spurs drives to the basket during the game against the Golden State Warriors during the 2026 Emirates NBA Cup on November 13, 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 Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Friday was always going to be an incredibly difficult game for the Golden State Warriors. They were on the road, taking on a San Antonio Spurs team that had won 10 consecutive games. Just on strength of opponent, it was the hardest game of the year for the Dubs.
And then “hard” turned into “impossible” when Steph Curry was injured during Wednesday’s loss to the Houston Rockets. With Curry sidelined, the Warriors were, essentially, without hope in this game.
Still, about once a year the Warriors — like most teams — are good for a shocking upset bid when undermanned. Could this be the night where they’re competitive against all odds?
It only took a few possessions for the answer to be an emphatic “no.” Steve Kerr opted for a small starting lineup — De’Anthony Melton, Brandin Podziemski, Will Richard, Yaxel Lendeborg, and Draymond Green — hoping to outrun a team that they would be catastrophically undersized against, regardless of who they started.
And boy howdy, that — like everything the team tried — did not work. The opening possessions went exactly the way you would expect: the Warriors could not find an inch of space, while the Spurs broke them down. It felt like a team of seven-footers was playing a team of five-footers … it seemed like every Warriors pass was deflected, and every shot was blocked or contested. In the time it took you to figure out how to get this Prime Video game on your TV, San Antonio had taken a 7-0 lead.
They were getting everything they wanted on offense, using the gravity and playmaking of Victor Wembanyama to fully break down a helpless Warriors defense. Kerr called his first timeout less than three minutes into the game, with the Spurs leading 12-0. That timeout helped Golden State’s defense a tiny bit, but it did nothing for their offense. 12-0 became 14-0 became 16-0 became 18-0, the best start to a game in San Antonio’s history.
Finally, more than halfway through the quarter, the Warriors — who started the game 0-for-11 from the field — got on the board, when Gui Santos absorbed some contact for a tough and-one.
But even that play was emblematic of the struggles, as Santos missed the free throw, and just a few seconds later, the Spurs converted it into a three.
Santos’ bucket did not break any dam. Offense was still borderline impossible for the Dubs to come by, though they finally found a few buckets when Wembanyama took a rest. San Antonio’s offense, on the other hand, didn’t change at all with their superstar sidelined, as Stephon Castle took it upon him to thoroughly feast on Warriors defenders. That, combined with the Spurs making it rain from deep, led to a 38-14 San Antonio advantage after the first quarter. With no Curry, it was clear that the game was already over.
Golden State played much better defense in the second quarter, and the Spurs’ offense got a little discombobulated. But that did nothing for the Warriors’ offense, which was still stuck on life support. Every bucket was hard to come by — though LJ Cryer had some nice bursts to give fans something to cheer for — and Golden State could do nothing to cut into the deficit. A bad foul on a De’Aaron Fox three with less than a second remaining punctuated an awful half, and the Spurs went to the locker rooms leading 66-33.
The Warriors opened the third quarter with a pair of threes, and then, for all intents and purposes, they walked off the court and called it a night. San Antonio was taller, longer, stronger, more athletic, faster, and happy to flex all of those advantages in every area of the game. The second half was window dressing, and the Spurs weren’t even incentivized to take their foot off the gas, since it was an NBA Cup game, and thus, point differential mattered. The lead ballooned to 43 points for the Spurs, before coming back to an ever-so-slightly less-disrespectful 38 by the final buzzer, with San Antonio winning 123-85.
Cryer was the Warriors’ lone bright spot, as he scored a career-high 20 points with six assists (and no turnovers!), while shooting 6-for-11 from three-point range. Charles Bassey, who had 11 points and five rebounds, was the only other Golden State player in double figures.
With Curry out, the Dubs are going to rely on Lendeborg and Podziemski to carry the offense, but neither could do so against the ranginess of San Antonio’s excellent defense. Lendeborg had far and away the worst game of his young career, as he shot 1-for-13 from the field for three points, seven rebounds, one assist, and three turnovers. Podz wasn’t much better, as he had eight points on 2-for-10 shooting. As a team, the Warriors shot a paltry 33.3% (31-for-93) from the field. The Spurs’ length gave the Dubs fits, as they shot significantly worse inside the arc than beyond it … they shot 15-for-41 (36.6%) on threes, but just 16-for-52 (30.8%) on twos, while only earning 11 free throws.
Castle led San Antonio with a brilliant game, finishing with 32 points, five rebounds, and six assists. Wembanyama only played 21 minutes, but that was enough for him to have 12 points, 12 rebounds, six assists, one steal, and two blocks.
The Dubs now get the weekend off, before facing the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - NOVEMBER 13: Stephon Castle #5 of the San Antonio Spurs drives to the basket during the game against the Golden State Warriors during the 2026 Emirates NBA Cup on November 13, 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 Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Friday was always going to be an incredibly difficult game for the Golden State Warriors. They were on the road, taking on a San Antonio Spurs team that had won 10 consecutive games. Just on strength of opponent, it was the hardest game of the year for the Dubs.
And then “hard” turned into “impossible” when Steph Curry was injured during Wednesday’s loss to the Houston Rockets. With Curry sidelined, the Warriors were, essentially, without hope in this game.
Still, about once a year the Warriors — like most teams — are good for a shocking upset bid when undermanned. Could this be the night where they’re competitive against all odds?
It only took a few possessions for the answer to be an emphatic “no.” Steve Kerr opted for a small starting lineup — De’Anthony Melton, Brandin Podziemski, Will Richard, Yaxel Lendeborg, and Draymond Green — hoping to outrun a team that they would be catastrophically undersized against, regardless of who they started.
And boy howdy, that — like everything the team tried — did not work. The opening possessions went exactly the way you would expect: the Warriors could not find an inch of space, while the Spurs broke them down. It felt like a team of seven-footers was playing a team of five-footers … it seemed like every Warriors pass was deflected, and every shot was blocked or contested. In the time it took you to figure out how to get this Prime Video game on your TV, San Antonio had taken a 7-0 lead.
They were getting everything they wanted on offense, using the gravity and playmaking of Victor Wembanyama to fully break down a helpless Warriors defense. Kerr called his first timeout less than three minutes into the game, with the Spurs leading 12-0. That timeout helped Golden State’s defense a tiny bit, but it did nothing for their offense. 12-0 became 14-0 became 16-0 became 18-0, the best start to a game in San Antonio’s history.
Finally, more than halfway through the quarter, the Warriors — who started the game 0-for-11 from the field — got on the board, when Gui Santos absorbed some contact for a tough and-one.
But even that play was emblematic of the struggles, as Santos missed the free throw, and just a few seconds later, the Spurs converted it into a three.
Santos’ bucket did not break any dam. Offense was still borderline impossible for the Dubs to come by, though they finally found a few buckets when Wembanyama took a rest. San Antonio’s offense, on the other hand, didn’t change at all with their superstar sidelined, as Stephon Castle took it upon him to thoroughly feast on Warriors defenders. That, combined with the Spurs making it rain from deep, led to a 38-14 San Antonio advantage after the first quarter. With no Curry, it was clear that the game was already over.
Golden State played much better defense in the second quarter, and the Spurs’ offense got a little discombobulated. But that did nothing for the Warriors’ offense, which was still stuck on life support. Every bucket was hard to come by — though LJ Cryer had some nice bursts to give fans something to cheer for — and Golden State could do nothing to cut into the deficit. A bad foul on a De’Aaron Fox three with less than a second remaining punctuated an awful half, and the Spurs went to the locker rooms leading 66-33.
The Warriors opened the third quarter with a pair of threes, and then, for all intents and purposes, they walked off the court and called it a night. San Antonio was taller, longer, stronger, more athletic, faster, and happy to flex all of those advantages in every area of the game. The second half was window dressing, and the Spurs weren’t even incentivized to take their foot off the gas, since it was an NBA Cup game, and thus, point differential mattered. The lead ballooned to 43 points for the Spurs, before coming back to an ever-so-slightly less-disrespectful 38 by the final buzzer, with San Antonio winning 123-85.
Cryer was the Warriors’ lone bright spot, as he scored a career-high 20 points with six assists (and no turnovers!), while shooting 6-for-11 from three-point range. Charles Bassey, who had 11 points and five rebounds, was the only other Golden State player in double figures.
With Curry out, the Dubs are going to rely on Lendeborg and Podziemski to carry the offense, but neither could do so against the ranginess of San Antonio’s excellent defense. Lendeborg had far and away the worst game of his young career, as he shot 1-for-13 from the field for three points, seven rebounds, one assist, and three turnovers. Podz wasn’t much better, as he had eight points on 2-for-10 shooting. As a team, the Warriors shot a paltry 33.3% (31-for-93) from the field. The Spurs’ length gave the Dubs fits, as they shot significantly worse inside the arc than beyond it … they shot 15-for-41 (36.6%) on threes, but just 16-for-52 (30.8%) on twos, while only earning 11 free throws.
Castle led San Antonio with a brilliant game, finishing with 32 points, five rebounds, and six assists. Wembanyama only played 21 minutes, but that was enough for him to have 12 points, 12 rebounds, six assists, one steal, and two blocks.
The Dubs now get the weekend off, before facing the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday.
Brooklyn Nets center Day'ron Sharpe (20) shoots a layup against the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Day’Ron Sharpe is making the jump from backup bruiser to full-time starter and complete player.
And so far, the transition has been going well.
Sharpe has an impressive plus-16.7 net rating swing for Brooklyn entering Saturday’s game in Memphis. Essentially meaning they are an aggregate 16.7 points per 100 possessions better — offensively and defensively — with the big man on the floor.
That’s the fourth-best rating in the entire league among all qualified centers.
“Yeah, he’s embracing the new role, and he’s adjusting,” Nets coach Jordi Fernández said of Sharpe. “He’s adjusting with playing bigger minutes. … It comes with, its a lot. And I think he’s doing a great job. He is being very diligent with his routine, his body, taking care of himself, his treatment, what he eats. And right now, you can see that he can perform in longer stints and for more minutes.
Brooklyn Nets center Day’ron Sharpe (20) shoots a layup against the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
“So, very proud of him, and I think he’s impacting the group also. We’re playing well and, at times, very well because of him. And what he brings, like yesterday or two days ago, he had huge winning plays at the rim and verticalities and then his passing, rebounding so forth. So I’m very happy and he’s got to keep taking steps, keep working.”
Over Sharpe’s last six games, he’s averaged 9.5 points, seven rebounds and 6.5 assists to just 2.2 turnovers — almost a 3-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio — as he’s unlocked his playmaking in dribble handoffs DHOs with Michael Porter Jr. His four straight games with at least five assists are a Nets franchise record for a center.
Brooklyn Nets center Day’ron Sharpe, left, shoots over New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns at Madison Square Garden on Monday, Nov. 2, 2026. Jason Szenes for NY Post
But more importantly, Sharpe — always a powerful rebounder in shorter stints — has provided rim protection, with his career-high tying four blocks in New Orleans giving him 10 over his last five games.
“I’d just say for me, just trusting the work that I always preach, just being patient when I get the ball and just playing hard usual, just trying to make as many winning plays as I can,” said Sharpe. “Like I said before the season started, I feel like I’m trying to be one of the best when it comes to the small details of the game. Extra plays, saving plays, it’s all about the position game to me. So as many possessions as I can help our team win, that’s what matters.”
Point guard Nolan Traore (right calf soreness) is listed as questionable for Saturday at the Grizzlies after missing the win in New Orleans. Rookie Mikel Brown Jr. is questionable with the illness that also cost him the last game.
“Nolan just practiced with the group; see how he feels after,” said Fernández. “And then Mikel hasn’t practiced, he’s not here. See how he feels (Saturday).”
Point guard Ben Saraf was not called up. He’s still on G-League assignment along with Joshua Jefferson, Tyler Bilodeau and Grant Nelson.
