CLEVELAND, OH - APRIL 1: Riley Minix #22 of the Cleveland Charge celebrates during the game against the Capital City Go-Go on April 1, 2026 at Cleveland Public Auditorium in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 Lauren Leigh Bacho/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
CLEVELAND — The G League matters more for team building than ever. Look no further than the Cleveland Cavaliers roster for proof.
Seven of the 14 players on standard deals for the Cavs have spent time in the G League. That number should jump to eight, with Khalifa Diop expecting to play with the Cleveland Charge some this year as well. Diop’s inclusion would mean that over half the roster has spent time in the G League.
This is a change from where things were over a decade ago. The reasons for that are layered. Investment in the league, along with changes to the salary cap and the style of play, has all contributed to this.
“In the world of aprons and salary cap and all this, what better way to cultivate the next wave of people that can help fit into [an NBA] environment than this?” Charge head coach Eli Kell-Abrams said.
The Cavs have invested in the Charge over the last several seasons. The move from Canton to Cleveland has allowed them to use the Cavs’ training facility. More recently, switching their home games to Cleveland Public Auditorium, along with refitting the building for basketball, speaks to the organization’s commitment to the G League.
“We want the development to be in-house,” Charge general manager Liron Fanan said. “The type of players that you now take on your G League team, you really take into consideration what Kenny [Atkinson] and his staff are looking for. What kind of player are they on and off the court? How can he fit our culture of the Cavs and what we’re looking for? It’s mainly guys that are willing to accept a role, willing to compete every day, work hard, put their head down, and be ready.”
The Charge are looking to identify and develop role players who can specifically fit alongside the Cavs’ core group. There are two skills that the Charge are looking to cultivate, knowing that they will translate to the next level.
“They’re going to have to be defensively minded, and also able to make shots when you stand in the corner because you’re not going to have the ball in your hands,” Fanan said. “You’re going to be that guy that comes off the bench for five minutes and tries to impact the game in those minutes. So, how ready are you? What’s your mentality? The toughness and the willingness to just take a role. Those are the skills that we look at.”
The Charge are trying to refine those skills with their two-way players. Riley Minix has proven to be a good shooter — Summer League notwithstanding — but shooting alone isn’t going to allow him to become a rotation player. “He needs to get better [defensively],” Fanan said. “Can he really defend and switch at the NBA level? We saw a little bit of that, and we’re seeing improvement. I think there needs to be a big jump this year.”
Rookie two-way center Ernest Udeh Jr. has the potential to develop into a useful backup center. The Cavs like the motor, but there’s a learning curve for bigs transitioning from college to the pros.
“He always plays hard, now for us, it’s to get him better at understanding spacing,” Fanan said. “Understanding guarding outside the perimeter, working with his hands better.”
Success in the G League is different than the NBA. The Charge want to win games, but their goal is to ensure they’re developing talent that can be used by the Cavs and other NBA teams. For them to continue doing that, they want to continue cultivating a culture that makes that possible.
“We’re in a league that is sometimes not about the right stuff,” Kell-Abrams said. “We want to be the group that relies on each other, that is about everybody else’s success. That passed the ball in a league that doesn’t.”
The Charge open their season at home on Tuesday night against the Motor City Cruise.
For the first time since they spent nine prolific seasons together, while rising to the top of the NBA, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown will face off as opponents in the regular season.
The Boston Celtics (8-2) head to Philadelphia Tuesday, Nov. 10 to battle the 76ers (9-2), the team that acquired Brown in a July blockbuster trade. And with that comes the next chapter in a relationship that has at times became tense and uncomfortable.
Despite that, as the game approaches, both sides have been sure to down play any drama.
“It’s nothing to talk about,” Brown told reporters Sunday, Nov. 8. “I mean, he’s on his side, I’m on my side. Just playing basketball. Both of us are trying to win, so it’s nothing to talk about. Just check the ball up.”
Yet, now that we’re three weeks into the 2026-27 season, it’s a fair time to pose a couple questions.
One: is there a clear winner in the trade? And, two: will either team come to regret their choice?
At first glance, it’s like a rare case where the move benefitted both sides; entering Monday night, these were the top two teams in the Eastern Conference. The Celtics were leading the NBA in net rating (+11.6), and the Sixers have been seamlessly sharing the ball and rank third in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.01).
It’s necessary, however, to point out a few caveats here. The sample size remains rather small and, entering Monday night, the Celtics had played the NBA’s easiest strength of schedule (.396), according to ESPN; Philadelphia’s, by comparison, ranked 20th (.476).
To be clear, neither of these points are disqualifying, but both teams – Boston in particular – need to demonstrate that they can sustain these levels over time and against the league’s better competition.
The most positive sign for both teams is that the issues that originally forced the divorce in the first place don’t appear to have carried over.
Dating back to their first seasons as stars in Boston, the narrative surrounding Tatum and Brown was that they were not optimal fits. They both excel with the ball in their hands, and both can create their own shot with ease. That often led to a disjointed offense, where they often took turns scoring in isolation.
In Boston, Paul George, whom Philadelphia sent to Boston in the Brown trade, has been nothing but steady. He has acknowledged that his sole role is to be complementary to Tatum, and his 20.4 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game are more than sufficient.
In Philadelphia, Brown’s numbers are a little better (22.3/6.7/4.0), but he has directly addressed the dynamics of his new team, saying point guard Tyrese Maxey “has been leading the way for sure” and that the Sixers are “his team,” referring to Maxey.
Brown has been more provocative in his public comments about any feud between he and Tatum. He recently posted an emoji of a blue hat – which is another way to say cap, or slang that someone is being dishonest – to a video on social media in which Tatum said he was caught off guard by the July trade. Even in a recent comment that began with praise for Tatum, Brown snuck in a sly jab.
“I think he’s right,” Brown said Oct. 24. “There’s no beef. Jayson comes from a wonderful family. We’ve accomplished some great things, he’s a hell of a basketball player, he got a great (public relations) team. There’s no beef, but it might be a little lamb chops and some gravy, and he should stay ready at all times.”
In their first meeting as opponents, a preseason game Oct. 16 in which Brown did not play, both players warmed up on opposite sides of the floor and did not acknowledge each other, at least not publicly.
“All of y’all kind of saw us grow up and everything that we accomplished,” Tatum said recently. “... Like, how many people play in this league and never went to the Finals? We went twice and won a championship. So it should be more about that. This ain’t no (expletive) Shaq and Kobe. It’s not about that.
“It should be more praise, and I understand that don’t necessarily sell. Drama gets clicks and views, but that’s not my thing.”
This all raises one last question, about whether it’s fair to criticize players on the same team for not being friends off the floor. Just because their work is televised and just because they’re paid handsomely does not mandate that they be forced into any sort of deeper bond we fans and media seemingly expect out of athletes. At the end of the day, they are – at least in professional terms – merely employees just like you and I. And just like you and I may have colleagues with whom we might not necessarily align, these players are entitled just the same.
This trade was not executed because of any perceived fractured friendship. The Celtics clearly prioritized one player’s skill set over another’s, and they made a difficult choice, one that does not come without some risk. They wanted to divest away from having two max contracts.
Tuesday night’s game is just the next logical step, nothing more.
St. Petersburg, Florida: New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone points to the bullpen in the 7th inning as the Yankees take on the Tampa Bay Rays in the Game 2 of the American League Division Series at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida on Oct. 5, 2026 (Photo by Thomas A. Ferrara/Newsday RM via Getty Images) | Newsday via Getty Images
As we awake today, we now three weeks remaining with a Major League Collective Bargaining Agreement in place, 21 days before we are faced with the inevitable owner-imposed lockout. As we inch toward the winter, we do have a few things to keep us occupied this week, as Cy Young winners will be announced tomorrow night, which will presumably act as a coronation for Cam Schlittler, before we get to the MVP winners on Wednesday night. It is odd not to have a Yankee in the running for AL MVP these days.
On the site today, Josh discusses the possibility of David Bednar accepting the qualifying offer, and how it would fit with the Yankees’ general approach to roster construction, while a longer-term deal for Bednar could conflict with the team’s plans. Matt will also grade Camilo Doval’s 2026 season (it wasn’t great!), and Kevin writes up Jack Clark, a long lost member of the late-80’s Yankees.
Questions/Prompts:
1. Do you think any of the eight players that received qualifying offers will accept them? Do you think Jazz Chisholm Jr. would’ve accepted if the Yankees had offered him one?
2. Do you think the Yankees’ biggest offseason acquisition will come via free agency or trade this winter?
The Pittsburgh Pirates are spending this offseason trying to figure out how to take that next step as a team.
The Pirates are coming off of their first winning season since 2018, so momentum is building, but they are still far from where they need to be. MLB.com contributor Will Leitch conducted recent power rankings where the Pirates were right in the middle at No. 15.
“Pirates fans were disappointed with this season, but it was still a team that had a winning record, with an offense that exceeded most expectations. If the lineup can thrive again, you should probably expect that rotation, most of all Paul Skenes, to be much better in 2027 — and it wasn’t that bad in the first place,” Leitch wrote.
The only National League teams that ranked ahead of the Pirates were the Arizona Diamondbacks, Philadelphia Phillies, San Diego Padres, Chicago Cubs, Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers.
It appears that there are two full tiers of teams that rank ahead of the Pirates. For them to move into that Rachelon, one of two things will have to happen: they will need to considerably upgrade the roster through free agency, or they will need to count on their top prospects to continue growing. In an ideal situation, both of these things happen, which will give the Pirates a chance to enter the playoff conversation for the first time in a decade.
BD community, where do you think the Pirates rank in terms of the rest of the league? Let us know in the comments section below.
Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, left, and general manager Brandon Gomes look on during their team's ring ceremony last March at Dodger Stadium. (Luke Hales / Getty Images)
Major League Baseball’s general managers meetings are an important event on the offseason calendar every year. But the impending lockout puts extra emphasis this year on the three days baseball’s operations leaders will spend in Las Vegas this week.
GM meetings are generally the precursor to the more widely-attended winter meetings in December, but this year’s winter meetings are expected to be canceled in the face of a lockout. And if anxiety over a possible salary cap doesn’t put the free agent and trade markets on ice, the expiration of the current collective bargaining agreement on Dec. 1 could spur early action.
The Dodgers are poised to make news one way or another, with an opening on the coaching staff to fill, a finalist for a major award, and the belle of the 2026-27 free agent class testing the market.
Here are four story lines to follow as GM meetings get underway:
The Dodgers parted ways with co-hitting coach Aaron Bates last week. So, expect president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and general manager Brandon Gomes to field questions about their plans to fill the position, from qualities they’re seeking in a replacement to a timeline for the hire or promotion.
The rest of manager Dave Roberts’ coaching staff, including co-hitting coach Robert Van Scoyoc are expected to return.
Tarik Skubal’s free agency
Tarik Skubal, whom the Dodgers acquired from the Tigers at the trade deadline this year, is the top free agent in a fraught offseason and will be a fascinating litmus test for the market.
The last time MLB was counting down to a lockout, Corey Seager, Marcus Semien and Javy Báez all signed nine-figure contracts before it went into effect at the end of the day on Dec. 1. Like Seager and Semien, Skubal is represented by agent Scott Boras.
Whether the Dodgers will make an early aggressive play to bring back the two-time Cy Young winner remains to be seen.
“I can’t say enough good things about the impact that he made in such a short period of time,” Friedman said in his end of season news conference last month. “We have a tremendous amount of respect for him on and off the field, and for us, he’s put himself in this position to go out and be a free agent. And for us, it’s, continue to talk to Scott. But he and his family have to make a choice over where they want to spend the next X number of years, and obviously we wish him nothing but the best.”
Comparison to 2021
Just how similar will this November be to 2021, when teams committed $1.9 billion to free agents before the lockout? The short answer is: it’s hard to say with any certainty.
“I never have any feel for how a market’s going to play out,” Friedman said. “We’ve kidded ourselves in the past that, like, ‘Hey, we think this is going to happen,’ and it just takes on its own life form. So for us, it’s just about being as prepared as we possibly can be, and pouncing on opportunities.”
Though the expectation of a lockout remains the same, the owners and players are fighting over a potential overhaul of the system this time around. MLB’s push for a salary cap in their early proposals — even though their latest pushed back implementation to 2028 — could affect teams’ behavior.
Manager of the year awards will be revealed Tuesday, Cy Young and reliever of the year on Wednesday, and finally MVP on Thursday.
Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani is a finalist for National League MVP. But Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong is the favorite to win it, which would end Ohtani’s three-year MVP streak. Ohtani has won four MVP awards in all, two in the AL and two in the NL.
On Wednesday, MLB will also hold its own awards show, announcing All-MLB teams, and awards such as the Hank Aaron Award, the comeback players of the year, the Mariano Rivera & Trevor Hoffman Relievers of the Year, the Edgar Martinez Outstanding Designated Hitter of the Year and the MLB executive of the year.
A 72-hour TV blizzard was a test of sofa stamina as Ireland and England shone while South Africa looked ominous
By Sunday night one question swamped all else. When does a diet of endless televised rugby become too much of a good thing? People are well used to three consecutive Six Nations games on “Super Saturday” but the weekend was on a whole new level. It must have ranked among the most relentless 72-hour blizzards of rugby broadcasting in the game’s history.
The Breakdown, naturally, was keen to get among it. Friday night’s Ireland v Argentina game on ITV had its moments, happily, although not as many as England A v Argentina on YouTube. On Saturday, with South Africa 45-0 up against Italy by half-time, there was a case for covering the screen with a Turin shroud. Either way it was time for the haka in Murrayfield before Scotland v New Zealand, subsequently interspersed with an absorbing Champ game between Cornish Pirates and Richmond on Clubber TV.
Tampa Bay Lightning (11-4-2, in the Atlantic Division) vs. Buffalo Sabres (8-6-3, in the Atlantic Division)
Buffalo, New York; Wednesday, 7 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: The Tampa Bay Lightning visit the Buffalo Sabres after Pontus Holmberg's two-goal game against the Winnipeg Jets in the Lightning's 4-3 loss.
Buffalo has an 8-6-3 record overall and a 2-1-2 record in Atlantic Division play. The Sabres have a -6 scoring differential, with 50 total goals scored and 56 given up.
Tampa Bay has a 1-0-0 record in Atlantic Division games and an 11-4-2 record overall. The Lightning are 6-2-0 in games they serve fewer penalty minutes than their opponents.
The matchup Wednesday is the first meeting this season between the two clubs.
TOP PERFORMERS: Noah Ostlund has scored four goals with six assists for the Sabres. Jack Quinn has seven goals and five assists over the last 10 games.
Jake Guentzel has 10 goals and eight assists for the Lightning. Nikita Kucherov has four goals and 10 assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Sabres: 5-3-2, averaging 3.1 goals, 5.6 assists, 4.3 penalties and 10 penalty minutes while giving up 3.1 goals per game.
Lightning: 6-2-2, averaging 4.2 goals, 6.5 assists, 3.5 penalties and 7.8 penalty minutes while giving up 3.2 goals per game.
INJURIES: Sabres: Matt Grzelcyk: out (lower-body), Konsta Helenius: out (upper-body), Justin Danforth: out (upper-body), Alex Lyon: out (upper-body).
Lightning: Brayden Point: day to day (undisclosed).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Utah Mammoth (10-7-1, in the Central Division) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (12-5-2, in the Pacific Division)
Paradise, Nevada; Wednesday, 9:30 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: The Vegas Golden Knights host the Utah Mammoth after Tomas Hertl's two-goal game against the Buffalo Sabres in the Golden Knights' 4-1 win.
Vegas has a 12-5-2 record overall and a 6-3-0 record in home games. The Golden Knights have gone 6-3-0 when they commit fewer penalties than their opponent.
Utah has gone 6-5-1 in road games and 10-7-1 overall. The Mammoth have an even scoring differential this season, scoring and allowing 63 goals.
The matchup Wednesday is the first meeting of the season between the two teams.
TOP PERFORMERS: Mark Stone has 10 goals and nine assists for the Golden Knights. Hertl has five goals and two assists over the past 10 games.
Logan Cooley has 11 goals and 10 assists for the Mammoth. Dmitriy Simashev has scored three goals over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Golden Knights: 5-3-2, averaging 2.8 goals, 4.4 assists, 3.2 penalties and 7.8 penalty minutes while giving up 2.7 goals per game.
Mammoth: 4-5-1, averaging 3.2 goals, 5.5 assists, four penalties and 9.8 penalty minutes while giving up 3.9 goals per game.
INJURIES: Golden Knights: Parker Wotherspoon: out (upper body).
Mammoth: Maveric Lamoureux: out (shoulder), Nate Schmidt: out (upper body), Kailer Yamamoto: out (upper-body), John Marino: out (upper body).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Marnus Labuschagne has found himself in Test cricket exile — but a pair of legends believe the talented batsmen will “succeed” at the domestic level before returning to selection equations.
Marnus Labuschagne has found himself in Test cricket exile — but a pair of legends believe the talented batsmen will “succeed” at the domestic level before returning to selection equations.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 09: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors reacts after making a three-point shot in the third quarter against the New Orleans Pelicans at Chase Center on November 09, 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 Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Well that was fun. The Golden State Warriors made NBA history on Monday night, by becoming the first team to start 0-3 and follow it up with an eight-game winning streak. And they certainly did it in emphatic style, as they positively crushed the New Orleans Pelicans, ending their home-stand with a 138-87 victory that was every bit as lopsided as the score would suggest.
Needless to say, the grades are going to be good for this one. As always, my grades are based on my personal expectations for each player, with a “B” grade representing that player’s average performance.
Note: True-shooting percentage (TS) is a scoring efficiency metric that accounts for threes and free throws. Entering Monday’s games, league-average TS was 57.1%.
You gotta love Gui. Even in a game where the Warriors were pouring in points faster than a bartender pours shots, Santos was content to just help out doing the little things. He attacked the glass and did a swell job of keeping the ball moving. He repeatedly found the open man and ended up with four dimes and zero turnovers. He was a big part of the strong defensive performance.
He just does all the little things, and even though it doesn’t always come with offense, you can happily live with that on this team.
Yeah. I think we have a star on our hands, friends. I don’t think Lendeborg is good, or even really good, or even has the potential to be a star. I think he is a star, point blank. It’s only been 11 games but that’s abundantly clear.
There was some Steph Curry in Yax’s game on Monday, in that he seemed to relish the opportunity to rip a team’s soul out. So often you see rookies get sloppy when playing in a blowout. At best they hog the ball and put on their own show; at worst, they check out because the outcome is determined.
But stars like Curry lock in. They want the win to be as lopsided as possible. They want to crush the other team’s spirit and make it clear that they’re not in the same league (except, you know … in the literal sense). And they want to make sure that they’re the one who does the damage.
Lendeborg, it seems, has that gene. He didn’t try to do to much, even when the Dubs led by 20, or 30, or 40, or 50. There were no reckless heat checks or audacious dunk attempts. Instead, he just locked in like it was a tied game, and went after the Pelicans in every part of the game.
Shot check! Green is up to 27 field goal attempts in nine games. There was some offseason chatter that Steve Kerr wanted Green to shoot more (specifically threes), and then it turned out the Warriors offense was good enough that Dray could be super selective, and focus on the three things he does brilliantly on that end of the court: passing the ball, setting screens, and making sure that everything runs through Curry.
Green has really been an offensive asset this year, which is a testament to his patience and playmaking, but also to the players around him. Having four shooters on the court at almost all times certainly helps there as well.
Defensively, Dray played well, though we were robbed of getting to see him defend Zion Williamson, as the Pelicans’ star got the night off. Oh well; they’ll meet again in a week.
Grade: A Post-game bonus: Tied for the team lead in assists.
Lest you get too caught up in the Yaxel hype, Podziemski is here to remind you that there’s more than one early-20s Warrior with a fun European name who just might be a star. This was Podz at his very best. He was all over the court in a blur of chaos, on both ends of the court. He attacked on offense, while also popping out time and time again, and hiding behind screens, to show off his jumper … which looks a lot better this year (he’s 25-for-62 from deep so far this year).
In a fast and frantic game in which Podziemski seemed to have the ball in his hands a lot, he went a whole game with nary a turnover nor a foul.
It really feels like his offense is far more in control this year. He’s always had creativity and unique explosiveness, but this year he’s harnessed it far better than in year’s past. Can you remember a single shot he’s taken this season that has made you scratch your head or yell at the TV (except in a positive way)? I can’t. He’s just unbelievably in control, and fully coming into his own.
Grade: A+ Post-game bonus: Tied for the team lead in points; best plus/minus on the team.
Here’s a fun question: who’s enjoying the Lendeborg and Podziemski breakouts more, Curry or Kerr? Steph is clearly having the time of his life playing with these invigorating youngsters. And more importantly, you can see the relief in not having to carry the team on his shoulders night in and night out, and possession in and possession out.
The way that Curry is picking his spots is honestly a little reminiscent of when Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant were on the team. Curry knows he can step into his easier roles — playing the distributing point guard, or just using his gravity to space the defense out — and the offense will still function well. And then, when the time comes — if the team’s in trouble, or he wants to put a nail in the coffin, or he just wants to have a little fun — he goes into supersduperduperstar mode.
He’s averaging more than a point per minute with a true-shooting percentage well into the 70s. And it looks sustainable because he’s not having to kill himself out there. I should give him an A+ but i can’t justify a perfect grade for someone I know can — and will — pop off for 50.
Grade: A Post-game bonus: Tied for the team lead in points.
Melton had a little bit of a slow start to the season, but new he is absolutely picking it up. He’s firing on all cylinders right now, and just making everything work. He has so much veteran savvy and poise … he plays with a little bit of that old man game where everything is slow, but then he displays these little bursts when they’re needed, to turn a rebound into a transition opportunity, or cut to the hoop, or strip a driving opponent. There’s more than a little bit of Andre Iguodala in his game, that’s for sure.
Like Curry, Melton has really been excelling at picking his spots this year, and that goes for both offense and defense. In this one, he came in with the bench unit and helped turn a solid lead into a blowout, and he never took his foot off the gas.
I’m just so happy that Horford is on this team. What a treat he is to watch. He never seems to make a poor play or be out of position, and sometimes he just goes on little flurries, such as what he did at the start of the second quarter to help ensure that this game would stay a blowout. He had five stocks in 15 minutes. He had six assists — as a center — in 15 minutes. It’s just comical how frequently he makes the right play.
I said when the Warriors signed him before last year that he was the perfect player for Kerr, and I think that dramatically undersold it.
Grade: A+ Post-game bonus: Tied for the team lead in assists.
Just another quietly exceptional day at the office for Niang. He shows up, he stirs things up, he drains some threes, he makes some extra passes, he plays some defense, and he celebrates a win. Good life.
Williams was only on the court for 99 seconds, but he changed the game in that brief time with the quickness with which he got down the court and attacked the basket. Unfortunately, he aggravated his hamstring in the first quarter, and was ruled out for the rest of the game. Hopefully he won’t be sidelined for too long.
Grade: P for Please get healthy soon Post-game bonus: Tied for the worst plus/minus on the team.
With every passing game, Bassey makes it easier and easier to forget that Kristaps Porziņģis was supposed to be a part of this team. He only needed 18 minutes to nab a double-double and have one of the nastiest blocks you’ll see all season. We knew he had skills, but the way he’s able to fully control the paint — in terms of scoring, defending, and rebounding — is shocking.
Cryer was forced into duty early on, after Williams’ injury. And he responded quite well. He scores in a different way than Williams does, but he sure can be a lightning rod as well. His jump shot is so slick, and I love the way he works into the defense, and then retreats … it reminds me a little bit of Jameer Nelson, or honestly, even Chris Paul.
This team is deep enough that Cryer is probably only going to get opportunities in situations like this, but it was great seeing him make the most of it.
Cryer got the most minutes of the two-way players in this game due to Williams’ injury, but Ike remains the two-way contract most capable of helping the team on a nightly basis. There aren’t many minutes for him now — he was limited to extended garbage time in this game — but you can see why Kerr is so excited to get him out there, and believes he can help. He does so many good things on the court.
Grade: A- Post-game bonus: Tied for the worst plus/minus on the team.
Nice to see Leons get some serious run. Like Ike, he played the entire fourth quarter since the Warriors were up by 47 points going into the final frame. He did some nice things out there.
Grade: B Post-game bonus: Tied for the worst plus/minus on the team.
Monday’s inactives: Jimmy Butler III, Moses Moody, Gary Payton II, Kristaps Porziņģis, Will Richard
DALLAS, TX - NOVEMBER 9: Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks drives to the basket during the game against the Indiana Pacers on November 9, 2026 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, 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 (Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks (7-4) won a 125-122 thriller over the Indiana Pacers (3-8) on Monday night. Kyrie Irving and Cooper Flagg were dominant, combining for 78 points, while Caleb Martin made the defensive play of the game to seal the deal. On the second night of a back-to-back, the Mavericks found themselves trailing for much of the first half but worked their way back, determined to not have a letdown after a convincing win over the Brookly Nets just 24 hours prior. With the victory, the Mavericks extend their winning streak to three games.
Let’s get to the grades!
Kyrie Irving: 10/10
35 PTS / 0 REB / 4 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 38 MIN
We try to be discerning with a perfect grade, especially for a Hall of Famer who has plenty of exceptional games on his resume. Tonight Irving gets the bump despite no rebounds, steals or blocks. He was simply too dominant offensively not to. He connected on 11-of-18 from the floor and 7-of-10 from downtown. He hit 6-of-7 free throws while he was at it. Helping get him over the top was a game-high +29 plus/minus. Even with a few goose eggs in the stat line, Irving was playing on another level Monday night and did a lot in the fact of tough on-ball defense to keep the Mavs connected and ultimately able to pull away.
Cooper Flagg: 10/10
43 PTS / 10 REB / 6 AST / 3 STL / 1 BLK – 39 MIN
Little needs to be said when the box score reads as it does. Flagg hit 16-of-25 shots in a 40-point double-double and was absolutely huge down the stretch, hitting big shots in the fourth quarter in a refuse-to-lose performance. Just dominant while leaving a couple rough shooting nights as a distant memory.
Caleb Martin: 6/10
0 PTS / 3 REB / 5 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 19 MIN
The conundrum of Martin persists. A starter with limited minutes and little tangible production makes the defensive play of the night to seal the victory. We’ve yet to determine how best to grade him, but suffice it to say tipping the inbounds pass away from Paskal Siakam to prevent the Pacers from even attempting a shot on the final possession gives his grade a boost.
P.J. Washington: 5/10
13 PTS / 9 REB / 1 AST / 2 STL / 2 BLK – 35 MIN
Washington gets the “5” based on some intangibles. His 4-of-12 shooting left a bit to be desired (though one of his two made three-pointers came at a critical time) and he was only 3-of-6 from the charity stripe. Of the three misses, two of them came in the waning moments where even one make would have effectively ended the game. Worse still, he probably could have gotten the ball to Irving before he was fouled, allowing the better free throw shooter to get the opportunity at the line. He rebounded well and had a few defensive efforts that don’t hit the box score and the fact the outcome was a win finds us giving him a bit of a bump on his grade.
Daniel Gafford: 5/10
8 PTS / 2 REB / 3 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 20 MIN
Gafford was foul-happy, playing himself off the court early on. He showed better control during the latter part of the game, but having him on the floor consistently to match up with Ivica Zubac would have helped along the way. He was solid in the limited minutes and managed to show some passing ability but it was a somewhat mundane night.
Santi Aldama: 7/10
10 PTS / 4 REB / 1 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 19 MIN
Aldama was 4-of-9 from the floor, but only 1-of-5 from downtown. Even with the longball not falling, he did a nice job maximizing his limited minutes. He had a soft touch around the rim and put himself in the right spots – especially impressive given he just returned from injury had had no prior reps with his teammates before just a couple games ago.
Final Thoughts
This was a hard-fought game that came down to the final possession. Dallas was on the second night of a back-to-back, yet got incredible offensive performances from both Flagg and Irving. The team plays together and fights hard on every possession. That isn’t to say every possession is pretty, but Dallas continues to stay disciplined and tied together. On Monday night, that cohesion resulted in a great clutch win.
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New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown directs his team against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Cleveland, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026.
At this stage in the season, winning isn’t enough for the Knicks.
The champions care more about how they win.
“Obviously, we want to play well, we want to win, but we also want to continue to grow as a team and try not to plateau,” Jalen Brunson said after practice Monday. “I think the way we do that is to continue to try to see how we can win games differently.”
New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown directs his team against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Cleveland, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026. AP Photo/Phil Long
That sentiment trickles down from head coach Mike Brown. Constant experimentation is a core staple to his philosophy. It feels like there’s a surprise in the box score every game.
His players believe that brings the best out of them.
“It’s kind of a freeing thing, playing that way, knowing that you don’t have to really be looking over your shoulder or thinking that one thing is gonna ruin whatever,” Landry Shamet said Monday. “And I think that he knows that we have that makeup as a group, too, that we’re all on the same page in wanting the best for each other — the next man up kind of mentality. It’s from top to bottom, and it’s a good environment to have.”
Brown used an 11-man rotation for Saturday’s 109-97 win in Cleveland. That wasn’t the result of garbage-time minutes, as all 11 saw the court in the first half. It was clear Brown wanted to get guys involved who are usually out of the rotation, such as Mohamed Diawara and Dalton Knecht.
It represents the biggest difference between Brown and predecessor Tom Thibodeau, who established a rotation and stuck strictly to it unless forced to change. Thibodeau prioritized maximizing his chances of winning every single night. Brown looks at the regular season more like a canvas to try new lineups, rotations and systems so that, by the end of the year, he has more available in his toolkit.
That process might be ugly at times, but it’s designed to deliver long-term results.
Brown credits it as a big reason for their championship last season. The likes of Shamet and Jordan Clarkson spent time in and out of the rotation all year but stepped up in the postseason when their number was called. The shift to an offense built around Karl-Anthony Towns as a hub was only possible because they toyed with it during the regular season.
Landry Shamet #44 of the New York Knicks dribbles against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026, at Rocket Arena in Cleveland. NBAE via Getty Images
“It builds trust,” Brown said Monday, “because it’s like, ‘Hey, they trust me to go out there and play right now, even though I might not have played in two or three games.’ It helps with connectivity because guys feel more part of it, because they’re getting an opportunity. It helps with everybody’s readiness because the reality of it is, if a guy is sitting on the bench and he’s been there game after game after game, which happens sometimes — I’m not saying that will never happen because it’s gonna happen sometimes — then he may lose a little interest and relax a little bit because it’s like, ‘Hey, I’m not going in.’ But then, if you call their number every once in a while, throw them in a game, now they know, ‘Oh, I gotta be ready.’ ”
Even Jaden Akins, signed to a two-way deal like Knecht, has seen a little action beyond garbage time.
“If he can go in the game during some real moments,” Brown said, “anybody can.”
It’s different from Thibodeau’s final season, when he inserted Shamet and Delon Wright into the rotation out of desperation in the Eastern Conference final, having hardly used them previously.
Under Brown, there is a track record on which to fall back for everyone on the team, even if they go long stretches out of the rotation.
“It builds a lot, when you’re talking about building a team,” Brown said. “And then at the end of the day, your guys get used to it, so come playoff time, if you try something new or different when it comes to the lineups, it’s not like, ‘Oh my God, what’s going on? We’ve never done this.’ Nah, we’ve done it.”
There is the flip side, though. Playing time and roles constantly are changing. Jose Alvarado started the year as the backup point guard but now finds himself behind Tyler Kolek in the pecking order after missing time due to an ankle injury. There is constant fluctuation with the bench players in how much time each plays. That could cause problems.
Not with these Knicks.
“That’s just kind of the makeup of our group, and that’s special,” Shamet said. “Typically, you go to a lot of NBA locker rooms, there’s some ulterior motives and personal agendas — which is part of why we’re all here, is some ego, of course. Everybody is a good player at this level and is striving to get to something or be somewhere. But very rarely does that take a backseat to just truly buying into one another, wanting the best because, ultimately, good things come from that for everyone. It’s special. It’s really special.”
