TAMPA, FL - FEBRUARY 22: Austin Wells #28 and Cody Bellinger #35 of the New York Yankees pose for a photo during spring training at Himes Complex on February 22, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Athletic | Chris Kirschner: ($) With the Yankees needing an upgrade at third base and the picking potentially slim, some have linked them to Teruaki Sato. The 27-year-old won the Triple Crown in Japan’s Central League last year and would provide a clear offensive upgrade. Kirschner throws cold water on the notion, noting that, like Munetaka Murakami, Sato’s defensive limitations could make him a better fit at first base. In a mailbag format, Kirschner also advocates for the Yankees cutting ties with Giancarlo Stanton and seeking competition for Spencer Jones in center.
New York Post | Dan Martin: Another Japanese star, Kaima Taira, is set to be posted by the NPB’s Seibu Lions. The 5-foot-8 right-hander, who led his league with a 1.36 ERA as a starter last season, may project better as a reliever in the MLB. The Yankees have scouted Taira in the past and could make a play for his services. Any player looking to make the leap from Japan would need to factor in the impending lockout, which would necessitate their signing with a team by December 1st unless they are willing to wait until the labor dispute runs its course. (This happened to Seiya Suzuki during the last lockout.)
MLPBA: The MLB Players Association announced the recipients of its Players Choice Awards Wednesday. Former Yankees pitching great David Cone received the Curt Flood Award, an honor which commemorates its namesake’s principled stand against the reserve clause which ended his playing career but helped bring about free agency. Cone, a longtime labor advocate who met Flood and served as American League player representative during the 1994-95 strike, called the award “the greatest honor of my baseball life.” Cam Schlittler was also honored with the AL Outstanding Pitcher, presaging his likely selection for the AL Cy Young.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 30: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors reacts after the Warriors made a basket against the Los Angeles Lakers during the second half at Chase Center on October 30, 2026 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Well, well, well. That was about as entertaining of a game as you could ask for. On Friday night, the Golden State Warriors became the first team since the NBA started tracking play-by-play data nearly 30 years ago to trail by at least 25 points, only to win by 17 or more. Steph Curry and Luka Dončić, went head-to-head all night, we were spoiled with highlights, and the Dubs won their third straight, beating the Los Angeles Lakers 112-95 to exact some revenge from opening day.
I gotta say, it’s more fun to grade the team when they’re winning than when they’re losing! So let’s break out a little red pen, and have some fun doling out grades. 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%.
Santos didn’t play on Wednesday and was questionable for this game with knee tendinitis. Ultimately, it wasn’t the best matchup for him, which is why the Warriors moved him out of the starting lineup in the second half. He still played fairly well, though, Steve Kerr just had to be conscious about what matchups to use Santos in.
Santos’ energy always is a big factor, but especially in games like this, where the Dubs had to overcome a big deficit, keep their effort level high, and get the arena into it.
I think we can very confidently say that this was the worst game of Lendeborg’s very short NBA career. He was a non-factor on offense, both scoring the ball and playmaking. He was surprisingly absent on the glass. His defense wasn’t as strong as usual. And he not only committed a bunch of turnovers, but also fouled out of the game while only being on the court for half of it.
Lendeborg has set the bar so high, that this was a disappointing performance, so here’s a reminder that this was just his sixth career game, and he was playing against a team that had already seen him once this year, and was prepared for him. He said that the lesson from the game was “try not to wet the bed as bad as I did,” and I felt confident saying that he won’t. My guess is he has a monster game on Sunday.
There were some highlights, though. He had a momentum-grabbing alley-oop in the second quarter. He showed some tremendous restraint by only having four shooting possessions on a night where offense wasn’t coming naturally to him. And, after the internet had begged for it, we got to hear E-40 say his name in legendary forty fashion.
It’s just one game, kid. Shake it off.
Grade: D Post-game bonus: Tied for the team lead in rebounds; worst plus/minus on the team.
Green was very candid in camp about needing to take better care of the ball, and it’s something Kerr has touched on as well. Early in the season we’ve been able to see the vision of Dray having better ball security, but it hasn’t always actually played out.
It played out in this game. Green was masterful at taking care of the ball and at setting up his teammates. He really had no poor decisions that I can remember on offense, and he had some of his best passes of the year. There will be times where he scores a lot, but for now, his restraint on that end has been impressive: through five games, he’s attempted just 16 shots.
We sometimes take Draymond’s defense for granted, so let me just say this: it was a superb defensive performance. Just incredible stuff on that end of the court.
Grade: A- Post-game bonus: Led the team in assists.
Easily Podziemski’s best game of the young season. Easily. He wasn’t good in the first quarter. He was great in the second quarter. And he was utterly exceptional in the second half.
Podz did it all in this game. He was nonstop movement, never missing an opportunity to get involved in a rebound, deflect a pass, cut, or run the court. His offense was not just good and creative, but unbelievably timely … he just always had a big shot up his sleeve, including a momentum-building three to tie the game going into halftime, and some huge shots late in the third quarter as the Dubs took the lead.
In addition to all of that, he was an absolute joy to watch. He’s so entertaining when his game is on, and it really does look like he’s taken a leap this year. The Warriors are Curry’s team, but Podz and Lendeborg really are the keys to success this year.
Grade: A Post-game bonus:Tied for the team lead in rebounds.
I could watch that Curry performance every day and never get bored of it. Watching Curry and Dončić go bar for bar was simply as good as it gets. As the cliché goes, if you didn’t like that, then you don’t like basketball.
Curry positively took over at the biggest moments of the game. His first buckets were a pair of threes to stop the bleeding when Los Angeles was dominating the first quarter, and then, in the second half, the bulk of his buckets were erasing the deficit or building up a big lead.
I’m gonna be thinking about this play for a very, very long time:
Still got the magic. Still got all the magic.
Grade: A+ Post-game bonus: Led the team in points.
The Warriors bench was special in this game, and Niang was a huge part of it. Golden State’s second unit outscored Los Angeles’ 50-7, and Niang contributed so much to both the scoring and the defending. Like Podziemski, his shots were incredibly timely; he just has a knack for making big buckets.
He also, it turns out, has a knack for talking some serious trash. I wasn’t all that familiar with that part of Niang’s game, but, for the second game in a row, he got into it with the opponent. That’s something that’s been missing from the Warriors for a while now … they’ve had toughness and instigators in the starting lineup, but not always coming off the bench. A great game for Niang.
Grade: A Post-game bonus: Tied for the team lead in rebounds; best plus/minus on the team.
And this is why the Warriors are enamored with Melton. There have been a few duds along the way, but you can see the vision. When it works, it works stunningly well.
This was one of the best games that Melton has had in a Warriors jersey. He took over in the critical second quarter, when the Warriors turned a 25-point deficit into a tied game. Melton had a 7-0 run all by himself in that frame, and finished with 13 points in the quarter. But it was his defense that really stood out. Time and time again he disrupted plays, stripped the ball, or deflected a pass. And just as Podziemski’s buckets all seemed to have a sense of the moment, so too did Melton’s defensive stops. Whenever the Warriors needed to get the ball back, Melton was there to wreak havoc. Phenomenal showing.
Grade: A+ Post-game bonus: Tied for the team lead in rebounds.
Payton did not have the bad shooting game that the box score suggests, as a lot of his misses weren’t true shots, but rather tip-ins when he was keeping possessions alive, and even one alley-oop that was a poor pass. Really, this game was all about defense for GPII, as is so often the case. He only played eight minutes, but he absolutely made an imprint with his defense, which was excellent.
Not Horford’s best game, but he certainly had some moments. He played some really strong defense in this one, and was one of the many reasons why the Dubs held Walker Kessler in check, a week after the Lakers’ center torched them.
Williams has not been efficient early in the season, and I expect that to change. But even when he isn’t getting his shot to fall, there’s no denying how much the team benefits from his presence, and the way he relentlessly attacks opposing defenses. It just seems to catch the defense off guard, and spark something in his teammates. He feels like such a critical player on the Warriors right now, even though his shot isn’t falling. Also, I thought this was his best defensive game since joining the Dubs.
If you want to see a masterclass in how to positively impact a game without filling up the box score, just go back and rewatch this game, and pay close attention to Richard. I don’t have words for how impactful he was. His defense was out of this world, and he was flying around the court, keeping plays alive, making things happen, and pestering the Lakers. Despite not having many stats, it stood out like a neon sign how much better the Warriors were when Richard was on the court in this game. He just made everything work seamlessly.
Bassey seems to be floating in and out of the rotation right now, and games like this are certainly a data point that he should be playing more. He had one of the best plays of the game, when he emphatically stuffed Kessler at the rim, which sparked a transition alley-oop. His defense was superb, and his size and toughness were essential for the second unit. It’s really fun seeing how far Bassey has come, and with Kristaps Porziņģis essentially out of the picture, it really feels like Bassey could emerge as a key rotational piece for Golden State as the year goes on.
Nic Maddinson’s Sheffield Shield return after being discarded from the Test squad didn’t go to plan as NSW collapsed on the second day against Tasmania.
How will Chelsea and Manchester United fare today? Here is what to know, including kick-off time, TV channels and live stream options
Chelsea and Manchester United both need a response to recent bad results. The former suffered a penalty shootout Carabao Cup exit to Liverpool on Wednesday days after a dismal home defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League.
The latter, meanwhile, have endured a chaotic week despite not playing a match. Michael Carrick is still in place as United manager despite widespread belief that Sunday’s 3-0 loss to Bournemouth would be his final act.
“It’s been going on all year,” Brown said. “We’re trying to hit a home run every time we get the ball. And we have to hit singles. We can’t hit a home run. We gotta hit singles offensively and then if our play breaks down, we have to move.
Mike Brown looks on after calling a timeout during the Knicks’ 98-93 loss to the 76ers on Oct. 30, 2026 in Philadelphia. AP
“There’s too many times where we have too many guys trying to iso. And the other four guys sitting there and staring at the ball a whole possession and then we’re burping up bad shots.”
The crisp ball movement that became a staple during the championship run last year has not been consistent through six games this season. They’re instead trying to force it into spaces that are not open.
“Just a little careless,” Jalen Brunson said. “And sometimes it can be us being hesitant as well, wanting to make the right play, but they’re also not trying to turn it over, and then it’s just a little late to our decision-making. It could be a lot of things, but obviously we got to clean it up.”
Added Josh Hart: “Some of them are just trying to make tough passes. Other ones, I don’t know. We just have to be more conscious of passes, what we’re doing, trying to be more deliberate.”
When asked if it is something he will have to deal with in the near future, Towns was mum.
“I think the Knicks gotta deal with the teams bringing their best shot every day,” Towns said. “That’s what I think. That’s something to deal with in the future.”
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MAY 15: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs and Rudy Gobert #27 of the Minnesota Timberwolves looks on during the game during Round Two Game Six of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 15, 2026 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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 Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
For the last few seasons, it has felt at times as if the Minnesota Timberwolves were truly knocking on the door to the title. They’ve certainly been in the mix: they made back to back Western Conference Finals in 2024 and 2025, beating some impressive teams and names along the way to coming up just short of the franchise’s first Finals appearance and having to settle for runner-up out West. To their credit, they haven’t been afraid to swing for the fences since coming to the realization that Anthony Edwards is a bona fide top 10 talent with MVP potential, shaking the roster up seemingly every off-season to position themselves to try and get over the hump. Their most recent swing, the one that sent long-time 6th man Naz Reid to Charlotte and landed them LaMelo Ball, had fans scratching their heads at a move for a player in Ball that many view as obviously talented but seemingly distracted. With Edwards (who was limited in last year’s second round series against the Spurs) now sidelined though after just 4 games for the foreseeable future with a knee issue that required surgery, it’s all too likely that Minnesota will struggle both on the court and in the standings.
For San Antonio, the Edwards injury is yet another devastating blow to a likely playoff team and potential Finals contender. With teams like Minnesota and Oklahoma City already saddled with injuries to key players, there’s a real opportunity for the Spurs to build some momentum in the standings even in the early weeks of the season. After their 0-2 start Victor Wembanyama and the squad seem to be getting on track during this current early season 3-game winning streak. Can they keep the momentum going tonight against a T-Wolves team playing without their best player?
San Antonio Spurs (3-2) vs Minnesota Timberwolves (4-2) October 31 2026 | 7:00 PM CT Watch: DAZN | Listen: WOAI (1200 AM) Line: Spurs -11.5
Spurs Injuries: Tobias Harris, calf (OUT)
Timberwolves Injuries: Anthony Edwards, knee (OUT), Dante DiVincenzo, Achilles (OUT)
What to watch for
Victor Wembanyama has been dominating inside the last few games, matching a career-best 9 dunks in each of the last two games, but Minnesota might have something to say about his recent dunk party. They boast a familiar face in Rudy Gobert, a fellow DPOY-winning 7-footer and Wembanyama’s close friend and countrymen. Wembanyama has given Gobert all he can handle going back to last season and especially in their second round matchup in the playoffs where Wembanyama averaged 19.8 points, 12 rebounds, and 4 blocks a game on 51% shooting against Minnesota. That being said, the likelihood of the 4-time DPOY winner Gobert letting his little brother get 9 dunks on his team has to be slim, right? Maybe Wemby will have to settle for just 5 dunks instead!
The idea Minnesota had when they made the move for LaMelo Ball was for him to be the sort of dynamic ball handler and secondary playmaker that Edwards has been missing since coming into the league. Whether or not Ball was the right wing to go after remains to be seen, but surely the Timberwolves weren’t counting on Ant-Man to miss the sort of time he’s projected to be out. Not that the Charlotte Hornets have been the epitome of excellence (at ANY point), but the league has seen what LaMelo-focused squads have been capable of. Whether or not Minnesota can keep pace with the rest of the West in Edwards’ absence will largely depend on if Ball can cutback on some of the negative plays that have defined his career to this point. With as much talent as he has, it’s not outside of the realm of possibility that things could click. For now, the ball will be in his hands often.
The Spurs are running a ton of inverted pick and rolls to start the season with Wemby handling the ball and Stephon Castle coming to set the screen. Castle has been awesome as the short roller, and it’s been an extremely creative way at getting the ball to him in the middle of the paint where he wants to get to anyway. His size and hops give him a unique ability to catch the ball with the defense right up on him guarding the roll, giving him runway to attack and create something head-on. Watching them explore their pick and roll game the last few years has been awesome to experience, seeing the fruit that was planted by that work by two very special young players has been beyond exciting.
If you’d like to, you may follow along with the game on our Twitter profile (@poundingtherock) or visit our Game Thread!
Brooklyn was short-handed, so they went big-bodied, with Jordi Fernández eschewing going to the bench for a guard (such as Keon Ellis or Terance Mann) and instead handing 6-foot-7, 235-pound two-way Chaney Johnson only his second career start — and his first in the backcourt.
The results were mixed. Johnson’s size and athleticism helped the defense, especially on Pistons star Cade Cunningham.
But the offense took a hit.
“Our offense is not … we’re not generating the looks we want. Part of it is every night is a new lineup’s playing together. Chemistry is a real thing,” Michael Porter Jr. said. “So lineups can have something to do with it. Egor is out, we put Chaney in there. That’s a group that hasn’t played together. So sometimes when it comes to the positions we’re playing on the floor, it might be confusing for some guys.
“Chaney normally plays the four when we run plays, but he might be playing the two with this group. For us, we need to know different positions in the playbook. So some of that’s on the players, just so that when we’re put in the game in different positions, we can execute regardless of where we are. So I think that was part of it, guys were not knowing where they’re supposed to be on certain plays.”
Chaney Johnson rises up for a dunk past Ausur Thompson during the first quarter of the Nets’ 110-94 loss to the Pistons at Barclays Center. Charles Wenzelberg / NY Post
Johnson had six points, a steal and a block in 18:32, much of it spent using his length to harass Cunningham.
The Pistons guard worked hard for his 20 points on a modest 6 of 15 with four turnovers.
“Yeah, he did great,” Fernández said. You know, he picked up those three fouls, and then we had that good run to respond to their run, which we cut it to six. They called a timeout. And then they went to a 28-9 run, so they won those minutes by 19 points.
“And I thought Cheney’s effort and purpose and everything he’s done so far, it’s been very good. I think he’s taking advantage of his minutes. We just need everybody to have the same intentions and intensity and play as hard as he plays. And I think then we will be OK.”
The Nets play at Indiana at 5 p.m. Sunday.
They got drilled at home by the Pacers, but this time they won’t face Tyrese Haliburton.
The star guard is out for at least the next two weeks with a strained left hamstring.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 30: Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers and head coach JJ Redick of the Los Angeles Lakers question a call with official Tony Brothers during the first half of their game against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center on October 30, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The stage was set: Luka Dončić vs. Yaxel Lendeborg. Lakers vs. Warriors. The Emirates NBA Cup. E-40 in the building. And the Lakers forgot a basketball game lasted longer than one quarter.
Dončić returned to the lineup after missing last game, leaving Ziaire Williams, Adou Thiero and Cameron Carr as the only Lakers out. Inconsequential scratches from the lineup? Not really, but the Los Angeles still had much of its core rotation ready to go against a Warriors team they vanquished on opening night.
Instead, the Lakers bench combined for seven points on 3-of-15 shooting and basically everyone not named Luka Dončić was disastrous en route to one of the worst losses in recent memory. The season is long, yes, but this loss will be etched in pen moving forward.
So, let’s dive into the loss. As always, grades are based on expectations for each player. A “B” grade represents the average performance for that player.
This was a pretty average Thybulle game throughout. He was, as always, active on defense and serviceable on offense, but he didn’t really have much of an effect on the game.
After a couple games leaving much to be desired, especially on the boards, Kessler looked like he was going to have yet another Wilt Chamberlain-esque game against the Warriors the way he was controlling missed shots and deterring anything that went his way on defense, posting his first double-double as a Laker.
But then, as has been the case early this season, the physicality dissipated as the game wore on. Kessler was basically non-existent after the first couple of stints.
The word is out on Reaves: apply pressure and be physical with him when he’s the ball handler and you’ll alter his game. After starting the season at an All-NBA level, his response to ball pressure has been a chronic pain in the neck, leaving The Bay with another high-turnover game.
With eight turnovers (and counting?) tonight, Austin Reaves already has three games with at least six turnovers this season. He only had one such game last year
There really isn’t much else Dončić could’ve done this game besides shoot even more. It’s evident that he had this rematch against Lendeborg circled on his calendar, and he wound up being the only player on the roster that showed up.
After erupting for 21 points in the first quarter, Golden State adjusted and Dončić’s supporting cast simply couldn’t hold up its end of things. Luka shot just twice in the fourth quarter.
LaRavia continues to be one of the Lakers’ more consistent role players. Tonight he was just aggressive enough on defense, did just enough of the little things, and was just good enough on offense to withstand whatever else was going on around him.
Mamu has surely seen better days than Friday. He was part of a bench that gave the Lakers nothing, and even he looked flummoxed for stretches of the game.
Throughout the season thus far, Grimes has been in a perpetual state of indecision every time he catches the ball and a defender (no matter the distance) is closing out on him. Does he shoot? Does he pass? Does he drive? Those questions are always on his mind and it’s evident in the way he played tonight.
Vando regained enough of JJ Redick’s trust to play in his second game of the season and picked up right where he left off against the Clippers in the first quarter. However, much like the rest of the roster, he simply disappeared in the latter three quarters.
Sexton couldn’t have had a more catastrophic outing tonight after the breakthrough performance last game. Tonight, it seemed he didn’t have a great grasp on his intensity and when the team needed it.
Grade: C-
Bronny James, Jaden Hardy, Chris Mañon
James, Hardy and Mañon played the floor for a minute of garbage time as Redick waved the white flag, and all still managed to be a minus-3. Hardy snagged a rebound and Bronny missed a 3-pointer.
JJ Redick
I’m not sure if it was vehemently signaling for a challenge or what his players did on the court that prompted him to throw his back out. Sometimes a coach is at the mercy of how his players perform, and that was partly the case tonight.
Redick, though, just as easily could have made the adjustments necessary to stop the bleeding. Like subbing Dončić back in just a little earlier in the second quarter to halt the Warriors’ momentum.
Grade: B
Friday’s DNPs: Kevon Looney
Friday’s inactives: Lawson Lovering, Arthur Kaluma, Cameron Carr, Adou Thiero, Ziaire Williams
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 30: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers falls to the court while guarding Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors during the second half at Chase Center on October 30, 2026 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Golden State Warriors kicked off NBA Cup group play in dramatic fashion on Friday night, and just so happened to get some payback in the process. After losing handily on opening night just nine days ago, against the Los Angeles Lakers, the Dubs hosted that same purple and gold squad. And after playing a Halloween prank on their SoCal foes — by gifting them a lead and then snatching it away from them — the Warriors head into the weekend with a three-game winning streak.
And they sure made it theatrical. The Warriors could not have played worse to start the game, and trailed by 25 points in the second quarter. And yet, somehow, despite that, they not only won, but won by 17 points, 112-95.
The game was billed as a rematch between Luka Dončić and Yaxel Lendeborg and, well … let’s just say it’s a good thing that basketball is a team sport, because the six-time All-Star certainly got the better of the rookie in this game.
Then again, Dončić got the better of everyone to start the game. The Warriors opened up the game with a layup, and then it was all LA. After that opening bucket, the Lakers rattled off 14 unanswered points and, if we’re being frank, made Golden State look like a JV squad. It was simply a case of two teams playing at completely different levels, like when you see an SEC powerhouse kick off their football schedule by hosting McWallaby State. The Warriors turned the ball over on every possession, which is only a mildly hyperbolic statement, and the Lakers just kept converting them into points.
Finally the Warriors showed a little life, with a pair of threes from Steph Curry, and then another pair from Georges Niang when he come off the bench. That, plus a defensive burst from Gary Payton II, helped the Dubs start to cut into the lead.
But then Dončić re-emerged. After all the trash talk from the prior week, Luka was having way too much fun dissecting the Warriors.
When the quarter ended, the Warriors found themselves in an ugly spot: not only had Dončić outscored the Warriors all by himself, but his teammates had, too. Yes, after the opening quarter, Luka had 21 points, and the Lakers led 38-15, completely silencing the Chase Center. Perhaps most shocking of all, though, was that the Dubs had committed 10 turnovers in the 12-minute quarter. That’s hard to do!
The Lakers quickly scored to open the second quarter, pushing the lead to a morosely comical 40-15. No one would blame you if you admit to turning off the game at that point, and finding something else to do with your Friday night.
But if you did turn off the game, you missed what followed after that 40-15 Los Angeles advantage: a 95-55 Warriors advantage the rest of the way.
It started with De’Anthony Melton, who led a serious surge off the bench. After that opening bucket by LA, Melton scored seven straight points on his own, while playing stellar defense. With. Dončić on the bench, the Lakers’ offense couldn’t find any traction, and suddenly they started making all the sloppy plays. Melton’s burst gave way to a Niang three, which led to a JJ Redick timeout, which was rudely met by a Curry three when the game resumed, capping a 13-0 Golden State run.
They weren’t done yet, though. After a few chaotic possessions by both teams, the Warriors pulled off what felt like it would be the play of the game: on one end, Charles Bassey had the most emphatic block of Golden State’s season, and it led to a fast break; on the other end, Melton found Lendeborg for a 25-foot alley-oop, sending the Chase Center into a frenzy as the run became 18-2, and the Warriors had made it a single-digit game.
While the offense was getting the attention, the run was really prompted by a stunning defensive effort, which was led by Melton, Bassey, and Will Richard, among others. Each of them seemed to have a defensive highlight on every single possession.
Dončić re-entered the game to stop the bleeding, and helped the Lakers go on a little run of their own to restore order, but the tide had shifted in the game. The Warriors led the Lakers have their little run, then went right back into shutdown mode, forcing turnover after turnover and, behind a flurry from Curry, exploding for another 10-0 run.
To put the cap on a nearly perfect second quarter, Brandin Podziemski sank a three to tie the game with 5.5 seconds remaining, then stole LA’s ensuing possession, ensuring they wouldn’t get a shot off.
After losing the first quarter 38-15, the Warriors had perfectly flipped that score in the second quarter, and the game was tied 53-53. And needless to say, Golden State had all of the momentum.
The Warriors had some luck in the first half playing with a bigger lineup, and so Steve Kerr opened the second half with some size, replacing Gui Santos with Al Horford in the starting lineup. But no lineup was going to stop a motivated Lakers team, and LA scored the first six points of the half, and quickly built the lead back to nine points. Instead of Dončić, this time it was Austin Reaves leading the show.
By now, the game had turned into pure theater. And the theater is built for star entertainment. And so, after Reaves and a few Warriors had their moments to open the half, the game turned to the main attractions: Curry and Dončić.
The two superstars went at each other, trading highlight bucket for highlight bucket. Even though they were directly matched up, they kept ending up defending each other after switching on screens, and you could tell that each player was relishing the moment. But the Warriors were playing from behind, so they needed more out of Curry than the Lakers needed out of Dončić, and The Chef didn’t disappoint.
I said early that the Bassey block/Lendeborg alley-oop felt, at the time, like the highlight of the game … and I said “at the time,” because that feeling wouldn’t last long. About midway through the third, Luka ended up on Curry island, and Steph hit all the buttons on the controller, dug deep in his bag, and broke both of Dončić‘s ankles, before sinking a three while his opponent helplessly watched, splayed across the hardwood.
In a career built by highlights, Curry — who passed Dominique Wilkins to become the 18th-highest scorer in NBA history — will have that one playing on his reel for decades to come.
Dončić, ever the worthy adversary, was unfazed, and returned fire with a three of his own on the very next possession. But Curry’s ridiculous play had brought life to the building, and they parlayed that into another run — even though Steph was resting now — outscoring LA 12-4 to tie the game with just under two minutes left in the game.
And then, at last, they got over the hump, with an outrageous sequence to end the quarter: at the 51-second mark, Podziemski made a three, giving them an 82-80 advantage … their first lead of the game since 2-0. Podziemski, who was starting to take over, then stole a pass from Quentin Grimes, got out in transition, drew a foul, and sank both free throws. After the Warriors forced a turnover on a Jake LaRavia offensive foul, Dončić’s frustration boiled over, resulting in a technical foul, with Brandon Williams making the free throw.
The Warriors, despite trailing by eight points when Curry went to the bench for the final few minutes of the quarter, ended the quarter on a 7-0 run, and led 85-80 going into the fourth quarter.
That 7-0 run turned into a 9-0 run when Podziemski opened the fourth with an excellent cut, where he caught a Draymond Green dime and laid it in. It turned into a 12-0 run when Podz drained a three, pushing the lead to double digits, and prompting a Redick timeout. It turned into a 14-0 run when Curry popped a mid-range jumper, and a 17-0 run when Curry drained a triple, and an 18-0 run when Curry made a technical free throw.
When the damage was complete, the Warriors led by 16 points, and the Lakers had gone more than four minutes of the fourth quarter without having scored.
Once again, the run had occurred with Dončić on the bench, and Redick brought him in for one last grasp. He and Curry once again went at each other and each put on quite a show, before Steph headed to the bench with just over six minutes remaining, and the Dubs leading by 15.
The Warriors were again able to hold the lead with their star on the bench, and if they can continue to do that, there’s no telling how good they’ll be. Curry sat for over three minutes, and returned to the court with a 13-point lead. From there, it was just a matter of getting a few stops, and get a few stops they did. With the NBA Cup using point differential as a tiebreaker, the Warriors kept playing to the final whistle, even though both teams had subbed in the back of their benches. Santos made an almost buzzer-beating layup to end the game, giving the Warriors a stunning 112-95 victory.
After allowing 38 points in the first quarter, the Warriors had buckled in their defense, and allowed just 57 points the rest of the way. And since the NBA started tracking data in 1997-98, this is the largest margin of a victory for a team that trailed by 25 points.
Curry led the Warriors with 31 points, four rebounds, and six assists, while shooting 11-for-23 from the field, and 8-for-14 from deep. Podziemski had a star performance, particularly in the second half, and ended with an efficient 21 points, five rebounds, six assists, two steals, and a block.
But the real star for Golden State was the bench. Melton (who finished with 16 points, five rebounds, three assists, and two steals) and Richard were absolute heroes off the pine, while Bassey, Horford, Williams, and Payton all changed the game for the better. Golden State had 50 bench points and only allowed seven, an astonishing ratio that is a testament to both the bench unit’s offense and defense.
Dončić, meanwhile, finished with 37 points, seven rebounds, and five assists, and certainly got the better of his matchup with Lendeborg (though they weren’t all that frequently matched up), as Golden State’s rookie had the worst game of his young career, with six points, one rebound, five turnovers, and six fouls. But all that matters is that Golden State got the better of Los Angeles.
With the win, the Warriors now have a very impressive three-game winning streak, as this victory was stacked on top of road wins over the Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves. The Dubs now get Halloween off to root for the Valkyries, before returning to action on Sunday night, when they host the LA Clippers.
The Phoenix Suns lost their third game of the season to the Denver Nuggets by the final score of 127-120. The Suns’ chaotic style of play from last season returned, but the defense remained their Achilles’ heel in the loss. The Nuggets shot 52% from the field and were 20-for-38 from long distance. Jamal Murray led the Nuggets with 39 points, 28 coming after halftime, and Christian Braun scored 31 points. Both Murray and Braun each shot 7-of-9 from long range, and far too many came with little to no contest; Murray also went 12-for-15 from the free-throw line.
Dillon Brooks was on track to put up at least 30 himself after scoring 20 points in the first half but was ejected on a turnaround fadeaway where he kicked Murray in the midsection midway through the third quarter. After reviewing the foul, it was upgraded to a Flagrant Foul Penalty 2, and Brooks’ night was over. Miles Bridges did all he could on both ends, scoring 24 points, grabbing 9 rebounds, and defending with a lot more intensity than he has this season. Collin Gillespie had one of his best performances in a Suns uniform, and the rest of the bench showed tonight that they can keep the Suns in games all season long because of their connected and frenetic style of play. He scored 16 points and had 10 assists, which is only going to make the bench Jalen Green crowd even louder.
Speaking of Green, no one had a worse night than him. He finished with 2 points in 25 minutes. He was the one Sun tonight who almost always fell victim to ending possessions with just one or two passes before a shot or turnover. That just cannot be the case for the one who is entrusted to bring the ball up the floor so often.
Booker added 20 points but was only 7-of-19 and had a few blunders in the third and fourth quarters that were head-scratching. In the third quarter, Booker missed a wide-open layup, and in the fourth quarter, he had multiple miscues where he fouled Murray on a 3, let a 6-for-8 from 3 Braun take an uncontested corner 3, and threw up a wild shot in transition against Gordon trying to draw a foul.
Overall, the Suns lost because their defense could not contain a Nuggets offense that was in desperate need of a hot shooting night after a slow start to the season. The Nuggets had shooting luck on their side tonight, and the Suns could not force enough stops over the first three quarters (103 points) to keep up. Where the Suns did improve in this game was in the possession game. The Suns outrebounded the Nuggets 42-41, took 14 more shots (although the Nuggets took 19 more free throws), and outscored the Nuggets 28-to-16 in points off turnovers. They even out-assisted the Nuggets 34-to-30 and shot more 3s than the Nuggets and made 43% of their attempts, a respectable number most nights, but not when the other team goes 20-of-38.
Was this step at least in the right direction towards getting back to who this team was last season despite the loss?
Absolutely.
Game Flow
First Half
First Quarter
The Suns got off to a quick 10-5 start as Dillon Brooks and Miles Bridges each knocked down a 3 and scored early in the shot clock, attacking the Nuggets’ defense that wasn’t completely set. The Suns’ defense was sound as well; they forced deflections, rebounded the ball, and even forced a shot clock violation. The Nuggets got going as Christian Braun connected on a triple and Nikola Jokic got two flat-footed floating shots to put the Nuggets up 18-15 halfway through the first quarter. Then the Suns bench came in and changed the flow of the game. The one-or-two-pass possessions disappeared when Bridges and Jalen Green left the floor, and the Suns started generating easy shots and crashed the offensive glass.
The Suns have missed having Ighodaro on the floor the last two and a half games because of how well he screens and moves the ball. In his return, he and Gillespie found success with their patented two-man game, and Gillespie scored 9 points on threes 3s in the first quarter. Kennard also immediately benefited as Ighodaro created two wide-open shots with his driving and screening, resulting in 5 points from Kennard to give the Suns a 37-32 lead after the first quarter.
Second Quarter
The second quarter was an offensive onslaught by both teams, but especially from the Nuggets. Christian Braun torched the Suns again and hit three more 3s as the Nuggets finished the first half 13-of-20 from the 3-point line and shot 61% from the field overall in the first half. The Suns fell behind 59-54 after a couple of missed 3s and turnovers, but it was Brooks who pushed the Suns right back into the game to it up at 59-59 halfway through the second quarter. He finished the first half with 20 points on 8-for-10 shooting to match Braun’s 6-of-6 shooting from 3.
While it was not a perfect quarter, Booker showed a lot of aggression in the second quarter, taking shots quickly in the flow of the offense, and the Suns were running lots of actions to get Booker on the move in the midrange. He also knocked in two triples in the first half as he scored 10 points. And just as it was in the first quarter, it was the Suns bench players that were to thank for the great pace and rhythm offensively as Ighodaro and Gillespie each led the team with 5 assists each in the first half as well. But it was the Nuggets who scored 39 points in the second quarter and finished the half ahead 71-67.
Second Half
Third Quarter
The offensive avalanche from the Nuggets continued in the third quarter as the Suns offense struggled to hit open shots and had too many turnovers to keep pace. Jamal Murray had a quiet first half but exploded in this quarter to the tune of FOUR 3-point bombs on his way to 15 points in the period. He and Brooks were in the midst of a battle until Brooks turned on a fadeaway jump shot in the midrange, where his foot connected with the midsection of Murray. He was tossed from the game with a controversial Flagrant Foul Penalty 2 midway through the third quarter.
Despite the Nuggets’ continued hot stretch and a 98-88 point lead, the Suns had an opportunity to close the quarter strong. The Suns finally started playing their unbelievably chaotic brand of basketball where the ball was bouncing everywhere, and there were turnovers galore. The Suns capitalized on a Jokic turnover that resulted in a Bridges layup on the other end. But after another stop, a Booker turnover trying to feed Ighodaro turned into a Nuggets transition opportunity until the Suns forced another turnover, which led to Booker getting the most open 4-foot shot of his entire life that bounced off the rim, leading to a Nuggets transition opportunity where the Suns had to foul. The entire end of the third quarter was chaotic with the Suns having golden opportunities that they couldn’t cash in on. Nuggets led 103-93 to finish after three quarters of high-octane hoops.
Fourth Quarter
The final quarter started off with a bang, as Gillespie did everything he could to will the Suns back in the game. He found Bridges for a dunk attempt that ended in a foul, then hit a 3 on the next possession to make it a 103-98 right away. Gillespie then drew an offensive foul on Gordon to get the Suns the ball back with a chance to make it a one-possession game. The Suns ran a double screen play for Green, who got to the rim and missed both chances from point-blank range. The Suns’ momentum stalled there as Murray hit another 3 for the Nuggets.
The Suns continued to fight in the quarter, and even after a perfect defensive possession from Bridges locking up Gordon, it ended in a desperation 3-point chuck from Murray that went in; Booker answered right back with a 3 of his own to make it 111-105. After a timeout, the Suns forced a stop, and Green got the ball in transition with a full head of steam and just lost the ball to Murray, another momentum-stopping play. That was the last we would see of Green as he checked out with 2 points on 1-for-6 shooting in 25 minutes. Definitely a step backwards for him after the way he had played so far this season.
Those two instances were the best opportunities to put pressure on the Nuggets but there were more. The Suns got stops but could not capitalize on the opportunities they were given, especially Booker. The birthday man fouled Murray on a 3-point attempt, threw up a wild shot in transition against Gordon that did not get called for a foul, and then allowed Braun to shoot another wide-open 3 with no attempt at a contest from the corner that, of course, went in. The Nuggets led 118-107 before the Suns made one final run in the last minute of the game to try to pull off a miracle, but the Suns ended up on the wrong side of a 127-120 loss.
Up Next
The Suns travel to the Bay to face the Golden State Warriors for the second time this season at 8:00 pm Arizona time.
SAN FRANCISCO — The game couldn’t have started better for the Lakers, who were fueled by a signature Luka Doncic scoring early scoring flurry Friday night in Chase Center.
But once those flurries evaporated, so did the Lakers’ momentum, making the final result even more painful for them after the Warriors flipped the script.
The Warriors came back from down 25 points to beat the Lakers 112-95 to kick off NBA Cup group play on Friday night.
Stephen Curry celebrates during the Warriors’ 112-95 win over the Lakers in NBA Cup play on Oct. 30, 2026 in San Francisco. Getty Images
Warriors star Steph Curry led his team in their 42-point turnaround, recording 31 points, six assists and four rebounds.
Brandin Podziemski had 21 points and six assists.
De’Anthony Melton (16 points, five rebounds) was crucial in getting the Warriors’ offense going after the team’s 15-point first quarter.
He scored seven straight points early in the second to cut the Lakers’ lead to 18, and the Warriors didn’t look back from there.
Melton (13 points) and Curry (eight) combined for 21 second-quarter points, outscoring the Lakers (15) by themselves in the quarter, which the Warriors won 38-15 to tie the game at 53 apiece going into halftime.
The Lakers looked like they regained momentum coming out of the break, but it was short-lived.
Luka Doncic complains to the officials after a play against Brandin Podziemski (2) during the Lakers’ loss to the Warriors. Getty Images
The Warriors outscored the Lakers 59-42 in the second half, with the Lakers struggling offensively whenever Doncic wasn’t on the court.
The Lakers scored 15 points in the second and fourth quarters.
Doncic led the Lakers with a game-best 37 points, to go with seven rebounds, five assists and two blocked shots, after his 21-point first quarter.
Stephen Curry looks to make a move on Luka Doncic during the Lakers’ loss to the Warriors. NBAE via Getty Images
The Lakers led 38-15 after the opening quarter, and were up 40-15 early in the second.
Austin Reaves added 21 points and five assists, but also had five turnovers.
And the Lakers’ bench struggled to produce, which was costly during a game the Warriors’ bench was on fire.
The Warriors’ reserves outscored the Lakers’ by 43 (50-7).
PHILADELPHIA -- Six games in, the Knicks are still "working" their "way into the season," according to veteran Josh Hart.
“I think the flow's tougher... the ball gets stagnant… I think that that's part of it. We got to be more deliberate with cuts and movements. And taking care of the ball,” Hart said after New York (2-4) fell to the Sixers on Friday night.
Static offense and untimely turnovers are two of the reasons New York lost to Philadelphia on Friday. Fatigue may have been another.
Hart referenced fatigue when answering questions from reporters in Philadelphia – where the Knicks were playing their third game in four nights.
“We all feel the fatigue. So we got to fight through it. Six games in. So we got to find a way to make sure we get our bodies ready to play every day,” Hart said. “I think mentally we're there. We just gotta find it physically.”
The Knicks certainly looked flat in the first half on Friday. They allowed 17 points off of turnovers in the first half. They coughed it up eight times. The Knicks also allowed Philadelphia to score 26 points in the paint.
Sure, the Knicks made it close late in the game, but they couldn’t come all the way back against a tough Sixers team.
Philadelphia and LeBron James have looked sharp in both games against New York this year. The Sixers have defended well against the Knicks and have leaned on Tyrese Maxey to lead the offense. It’s early, but Philadelphia is playing with the kind of cohesion that many thought would be missing at this point in the season.
Of course, it's way too early to make bold proclamations about anything you see in the NBA right now. We’re six games into an 82-game season. But while the Sixers (5-1) have gotten off to a strong start, the Knicks, as Hart said, are still finding their way.
TURN-ING POINT
One issue for the Knicks early on? Turning the ball over. New York has been a low-turnover team for most of the last two seasons. But they rank 16th in the league in turnovers per 100 possessions so far this season.
“Just a little careless,” Jalen Brunson said. “And sometimes it can be us being hesitant as well, wanting to make the right play, but they're also not trying to turn over, and then it's just a little late to our decision making. It could be a lot of things, but obviously, we got to clean it up.”
Head coach Mike Brown sees a correlation between his team’s turnovers/sloppy passing and poor offense.
“It’s been going on all year,” Brown said of the turnovers. “Like, we’re trying to hit a home run every time we get the ball. And we have to hit singles. We can’t hit a home run. We gotta hit singles offensively and then if our play breaks down, we have to move. There’s too many times where we have too many guys trying to iso and the other four guys sitting there and staring at the ball a whole possession.”
SAN FRANCISCO — Another night, another milestone for Steph Curry.
The Golden State Warriors superstar moved up the all-time scoring list, passing a Hall-of-Famer Dominque Wilkins, while leading the Warriors with 31 points Friday night in their 112-95 win over the Lakers.
Will Richard freed up Curry with a hard screen of Matisse Thybulle about four minutes into the fourth quarter, Curry received a pass from Draymond Green and buried a wide-open triple.
Stephen Curryshoots a 3-pointer during the Warriors’ 112-95 win over the Lakers on Oct. 30, 2026 in San Francisco. NBAE via Getty Images
The bucket was Curry’s eighth 3-pointer of the night and was good for his 25th, 26th and 27th points. It turned into a four-point play when Thybulle was whistled for a technical foul.
With 26,674 career points in 17-plus seasons, Curry moved into 18th place on the NBA’s all-time leaderboard.
He entered the game 25 points behind Wilkins, who had 26,668 in 15 seasons.
Stephen Curry celebrates during the Warriors’ win over the Lakers. Getty Images
Among active players, only Kevin Durant, James Harden and Demar DeRozan have poured in more points than Curry.
Next up on the all-time list: Oscar Roberston, with 26,710.
